The Far Shooter
by AmaterasuAkari
Summary: The story follows Akari Amaterasu (OC), known as "The Far Shooter" back in the United States and her transfer to the Teikou Junior Highschool. What adventure and challenges awaits her when she finally get to know The Generation of Miracles? Would it be hatred, or would it be love? Follow the story!
1. Prologue

Teiko Junior High School basketball club. An incredibly strong team with over one hundred members and three consecutive championship wins. Amongst their brilliant record, the generation of five prodigies was known as the "Generation of Miracles (_Kiseki no Sedai_)". However, there was a strange rumor concerning the Generation of Miracles. Despite being relatively unknown and lacking a game record, there was one more member recognized by the five prodigies. A phantom sixth man.

* * *

Well, that was supposedly the rumors I heard about Japanese basketball. I just returned from America a few while ago, and am still adjusting with life here in _Nihon_. Mama and Papa was going to return with me to Japan, but then Papa got a call concerning his work that he couldn't just leave, so I decided that I would return by myself and that I would be perfectly fine living alone. Reluctantly but surely, they sent me off with smile on their faces, trusting I would be okay in Japan.

And here I am, standing in front of my new apartment bought by Papa just a while ago. I put my keys on the lock and opened the door. I turn on the lights and felt my eyes widen, it's just too, refined, if I may say so myself. It was all sparkly for some reason. I decided to let it go and not ask Papa to get rid of the sparkly stuff. I got into my room and changed my clothes. I put on my light blue shirt and short cotton pants and head for the mirror. I started to comb my part red and part pinkish hair, and yes, it's my natural hair color, and stared into my reflection. The golden eyes that I have were there, staring at me. I was pulled back and drown in my own memories.

-Flashback-

_Amaterasu Akari, 4 years old._

_"__Ara, Aka-chan, you're holding the basketball while you're sleeping. That's so cute. Maybe you'll end up being a fine basketball player just like Papa and Mama was, back in our days. Right, darling?"_

_"__Yes I think she will, Mama. She'll grow up to be a beautifully strong basketball legend, hai?"_

* * *

_Amaterasu Akari, 6 years old._

_"__Mama! Papa! Ittekimassu!" I said while grinning and holding tight the basketball in my hand, and playing with my shoulder length hair that Mama set to a pigtail style._

_"__Safe trip, Aka-chan! Don't forget to be happy while you're playing okay?"_

_"__Haaaai!"_

_I left with a big grin on my face, heading towards the basketball field in the park, joining a few of my friends who were there first._

* * *

_Amaterasu Akari, 10 years old._

_"__Hey! Pass!" I shouted with a big smile to my teammate._

_"__Here, Akari!"_

_Receiving a pass directed right to my hand in just the right time made me grin. I was just outside the three-point line when I took a step back, positioning the ball on my left hand as I got ready for a shoot. *swish*_

_The lashes on the hoop made a sound as the ball entered without touching the rim._

_"__Yatta! We win! We got the court for the upcoming week! Nice going, Akari!"_

_-at home-_

_"__Akari! We got a call from Papa, saying that he would love to see you play at his stadium. It's his players' plead to play with you again before you graduate elementary school."_

_"__Haaaai~ I would love to see Luke-chan and gang again!"_

_-Papa's court-_

_"__Aka-chan, pass!" I hear Robin-chan, the team's captain yell at me to pass, and I did._

_"__Yosh! I'll get the ball Aka-chan pass and jam it in the ring!"_

_"__Not you won't, Robin!" Ken-chan, the center blocked Robin-chan's dunk before he could reach the ring._

_"__Yosh! Fast break!" Luke-chan is giving sign for Ken-chan to pass to him._

_I jumped and received the ball intended for Luke-chan and dribbled it back outside the three-point line._

_"__Whoa! Aka-chan, you're agile as ever! I won't let you off now! We're on opposing team!" Luke-chan said to me with a grin. _

_"__Hai! Luke-chan, ikuyo!" I took a step back from the three-point line and shoot the ball pass Luke-chan's block. *swish*_

_That concludes the game and Robin-chan's and mine's team wins. We exchange high fives and hugged each other. _

_"__Aaah~ you're so lucky Robin, Aka-chan is on your team. She's good, even for our level, she'd keep up! I'm so proud of you, Aka-chan!" Luke-chan said while patting my pigtail hair. _

_"__I'll make you proud even more! Just wait! Luke-chan, Robin-chan, Ken-chan, daaaaisuki!" I said, giving them a hug. _

_"__Yosh! I'm hyped now! Let's play again, another game! Change of team is of course needed."_

_We decided to play more games until we're dead tired and went to eat afterwards. _

_"__Life couldn't be giving me more love, I'm so blessed!" I mumbled to myself._

* * *

_Amaterasu Akari, 11 years old._

_"__I hate you!"_

_"__What are you doing, showing off your basketball skill, Akari? We know you're the daughter of the famous basketball coach, Masada-san, and the WNBA Japanese-born legend, Misuru-san. But don't get cocky with your skill!" I can feel her shoving me, making me fall down afterwards. _

_"__Ugly Akari!"_

_"__Ew, just die!"_

_"__What's with your left hand anyway, let's just damage it and leave her be."_

_They pushed and punched until I can't get back up. Sad, but that happens a lot recently. With me being the coach's apple, and me being picked on the international championship to represent USA, and further more, me, being given a honorary scholarship to study at a prestigious school while attending to junior WNBA._

_I hated basketball then. I hated my talent. I hated my life…_

_But I cannot stay away from basketball. I love it from the bottom of my heart. _

-End of Flashback-

I let out a sigh. I remembered Mama and Papa's face when they saw me coming home bleeding. I remembered not being able to play basketball in a while. I remembered the looks on Luke-chan, Ken-chan and Robin-chan's face when they visit me at home. Looking at the damaged hand that I was proud of, losing half of the power it had before. Flipping my hand, I can still see the bruises I usually hid with a couple of bandages and band-aids. I look at my right one; trying to imitate the shoot I've been doing with my left hand my whole life. Thinking about what happened then would never do me any good. I look up to the counter beside the mirror and saw articles about me, from a year ago.

**"****NEW BASKETBALL GENIUS SPOTTED!"**

**"****JAPANESE NEW LEGEND?!"**

**"****HEIR TO THE AMATERASU BASKETBALL BLOOD IS HERE!"**

**"****AMATERASU, THE YOUNGEST REPRESENTATIVE OF USA!"**

**"****USA ON A ROLL WITH AMATERASU!"**

**"****AMATERASU, THE FAR DISTANCE SHOOTER!"**

**"****AMATERASU, THE THREE POINT PRODIGY OF THE EAST!"**

I scatter the pages one by one, seeing articles about me that I was happy about, yet also sad. I was happy of my achievements, and that I am able to make Papa and Mama proud. Yet, I feel something is lacking from my play. I need to find that something, here. I think I can find what I lack, here. I felt my golden eyes widen as I look at my transfer form, readied by Papa himself. I am going to be transferring to Teiko Junior High School. _The Teiko Junior High School._ I can feel  
the excitement as I go to bed.

-chapter 1 end-


	2. Meeting

*beep beep*

I shut off my alarm and look at the clock, 5 AM. I groaned and was still feeling the tired feeling I had since I have been traveling half the globe since two days ago. I yawned and got out of my bed, I put on my basketball jersey I had as a parting gift from Luke-chan and team, including all of their signatures and goodbyes, as they really don't want me to leave for Japan. I set on my red basketball shoes and arranged my hair to a ponytail, as it is a bit distracting for me to play basketball with pigtails with this hair length, and grabbed a bag with a basketball and a bottle of water. I didn't forget to put the band-aids where they should be, and wrap bandage in some of my fingers and put on my wristband on. I head outside to look for a court nearby.

10 minutes of running from my apartment got me to find a basketball court. Nobody was there. _I guess not, huh? I guess Japanese people don't hang around so early in the morning. Much more, in a basketball field. _I laughed at myself for wanting to find people in the basketball field so early in the morning. I got my basketball out and started running across the field to warm up and continued with an unusually long stretching routine. After I finished with that, I make my way to do lay-ups and under rings.

It's a bit rough for me at first to try the under rings, but after a few attempts and through some hardship, I was finally able to feel comfortable doing it now. I'm usually playing the point guard (PG) of the team, but I'm okay with all position, except for the center (C) position. I'm just not tall enough for that part. After a while, I started to break sweat. My left hand was doing the best it could, and I think it's recovering better than it should've have. _Fhew, basketball is fun all by itself, but being in a new environment and all the excitement I'm feeling, I'm hyped!_

It was then that I was able to hear people entering the court.

"_Ara_? There's someone ahead of us." I looked to the court's entrance to see a set of people coming in. This tanned guy was groaning while he said that.

"What, what-_ssu_? _Uwaa~_ It's true!" Now, the blonde guy is grinning as wide as he could.

"_Harahettaaaaa~_ Aka-chin, can I have snacks now?" _Whoa!_ This dude's tall! It's eccentric enough with his height alone, then again he have that shoulder length purple hair and sleepy eyes.

"After we practice, I will personally give you a part of my food, Atsushi. Be patient." A red haired person talked with such dignity that I was actually amazed by him.

"Who's in the court anyway-_nanodayo_?" The green haired guy fixed his glasses as he speaks.

The five of them entered the court and their eyes were widening to see me, a girl, out on a basketball court so early in the morning. And yet I am all alone.

"_Onnaaa?!"_ The tanned guy with navy hair shouted so loud that it was like it blowing my ponytail away.

* * *

"Daiki, you're being rude." The red haired guy spoke. "_Ohayougozaimasu_. I think it's our first time meeting someone got up earlier than us, let alone a girl, in this court. My name is Akashi Seijuurou. What is your name, miss?"

His dignified way of speaking just gave him one positive point from me, and I answered, "_Hajimemashite! _**My name is Amaterasu Akari. I just transferred here.**"

Their eyes widens as the guy called Akashi Seijuurou replied to me with a slight chuckle. "**You must be coming from abroad, Amaterasu-san. Can you speak Japanese?**"

"**Ah! Sorry! **_Gomennasai~_ I didn't actually realize I am in Japan right now, I'm still adjusting. Sorry."

Akashi then answers, "It's fine. Let me to introduce everyone here…"

He then gestures towards the tanned guy, "He's Aomine Daiki, and this is Kise Ryouta."

"_'__Sup_, call me Daiki." The blue haired guy spoke up, offering his hand to a high five as I answered to it. Then I turned to the blonde guy who Akashi spoke of after Daiki.

"Nice to meet 'cha-_ssu_! Kise Ryouta_-ssu. _Ryouta is okay." This guy is acting like… A puppy. He approaches me and shakes my hand, well… Shaking it so hard that my body also move in response.

"Alright, Ryouta, let go of Amaterasu-san."

"_Ah, _just Akari will be fine."

"_Ah so? _Right, Akari, this is Murasakibara Atsushi, and next to him is Midorima Shintarou."

The tall guy bent down to shake my hand. "Atsushi _de_ _iiyo_. _Yoroshuuu Aka-chin_. _Are? _I called Aka-chin, Aka-chin. Then I called Aka-chin, Aka-chin also… _Hmmmmmm… Hai, Akari-chin _then."

I giggled to see him acts like a kid. I replied a _yoroshiku_ to him and turned to the glasses guy. "Midorima Shintarou. Shintarou is probably okay-_nanodayo_." He said while holding a small frog toy on top of his left hand. He bandaged his fingers, and what's with that _nanodayo_?

"…and the last one…"

_Last one? Wasn't that all of them?_

"Kuroko Tetsuya… Tetsuya, don't just stand there, say something."

"_Hai, _Akashi-kun." I looked around and I couldn't find where that voice comes from. "I'm here."

I looked to my right, seeing this light blue haired person standing there. "Ah."

"_Kuroko wa boku desu._" He said.

The other five was amazed by my response. They said I was the only person who didn't freak out while seeing Kuroko for the first time. It's true that he lacks presence, but that doesn't mean I should freak out, right? It would be disrespectful for me to do that, I think. Kuroko just stared at me afterwards.

* * *

"_Saa te_, we're all acquaintances now, are you a basketball player, Akari?" Akashi said after all the introductions are made. "_Ah, chotto_. Did you come from the States?"

"Umm… Yeah, I came from USA."

"_Ah so…_ Then you're _that _Akari."

The other four wondered what Akashi means by _'that Akari'_. "You must have heard before of _Amaterasu, The Far Shooter_?"

Daiki left out a big "WHOA!" hearing Akashi say my title.

Shintarou _humph_-ed while adjusting his glasses, "The prodigy that was said to be Japanese new legend while being the youngest person to represent USA in international competition?"

Atsushi was yawning while Ryouta continues where Shintarou left off, "_The Far Shooter_-_ssu_? The one that by far have the biggest percentage of threes-_ssu_. _UWAAA~Sugoi ne _Akari_-cchi!_"

-_cchi?_

"Ryouta tends to do that to the people he looked up to. Don't let it worry you. Now, shall we play basketball?"

"_Aah…_ Okay! Yes, I would love to!"

* * *

The team was divided between us seven, leaving one of us outside the court for it wouldn't be right to play 4 against 3. We do _janken_, which is a Japanese way of deciding who's on whose team. It was decided that Kuroko would be the 7th player. The team was divided, Akashi, Atsushi, and Shintarou being in one team, and leaving Daiki, Ryota, and myself on the other team.

"_Yosh! _Let's start, don't waste anymore time!" Daiki's eyes were sparkling, as we were about to start the game.

"Akari-_cchi!_ Let's play hard! Aomine-_cchi_ come here!" Ryouta offering his knuckle to be bumped on to me and Daiki, leaving a _Hai!_ response from me as Daiki joins the fist bump.

I can see Akashi's team being really calm as he carefully explained the details to Atsushi and Shintarou.

Kuroko blows the whistle marking the start of the game.

The point guard of each team is, Akashi, and I. The game starts with my team holding the ball. Daiki and Ryouta was running around asking for the ball, while Atsushi is standing in the paint waiting for someone to come inside, and Shintarou keeps an eye for both Daiki and Ryouta.

Akashi passed the ball back to me and I started off by dribbling slowly, and then passing an alley-up to Daiki as he jams it in the basket. "Nice pass, Akari!" He laughed and points out a thumb to me.

I gave him another thumb as we continue; Akashi gets hold of the ball, and lets Atsushi take the point.

Akashi passed the ball to me and I decided to score myself. I took a step backwards and set a shooting motion on my left hand, leaving Akashi with his eyes wide seeing how smooth my movement was, as the ring leave out a *swish* motion upon the ball's entrance.

Shintarou felt challenged by my three, and Akashi passed to him, as if he understands what Shintarou wants. His high-arc left me in awe, but I pulled through by answering to his challenge. The game advanced by turning it into a three-points battle between Shintarou and I. Little did I know I was really enjoying the match with them. Shintarou even made a smile out of his stern face. I started to feel the stinging pain on my left hand as we proceed in continuing the three-points shoot out.

"_Hai_, it's enough, the two of you." Akashi said as he's just dribbling the ball in place.

I can see the other three people in court's and also Kuroko's facial expression. It's like they're saying '_Impossible_' to themselves and watched the Shintarou and I exchanges threes. We didn't miss any of our shoots, and ends the game, as it is being a stand still.

* * *

'A rivalry, between Akari-_cchi_ and Midorima-_cchi_?'

'_baka-na_? She is really the real deal. Even Midorima is getting fired up.'

"Akari-_chin_, _sugoooooooooooooi~_" I can hear Atsushi getting close to me as he put his hands to pat my head.

It was then I was able to see things more clearly. I think they just realized that my hair had a shade of red and pink all together, and also, my golden eyes. They could also see all the bandages and band-aids I've put on my left hand. I can feel Shintarou's eyes were on my left hand, I think he didn't realize me having those kinds of bandages on me earlier.

"_Woah illusion?!"_ Daiki shouts.

"Aomine-_cchi_, you're rude. _Kawaii_ Akari-_cchi_, cute hair, and wonderful eyes-_ssu_. In addition, great basketball skill-_ssu!_ _Daisukiiii~_" I feel Ryouta's hands around me now, he's hugging me.

"We need to prepare for school." Kuroko said. I was looking at my phone just now and realized how late it is. It's 6.30!

"**Oh no, I need to get ready! It's my first day and I can't be late!** _Mata ne minna~_"

I said as I dashed to grab my belongings and out through the gate. The guys' faces were unreadable; they just chuckled a bit and said _'she's one of a kind, aren't she?'_ except for Shintarou who still has his eyes on my damaged hand.

-chapter 2 end-

* * *

**HI THERE! **

So, what I mean by giving the words a **bold** is that they are talking in english :D

I hope you like the story so far, could you leave me some inputs and feedbacks? :D


	3. Teikou

I got home and entered the bathroom. _Uwah! So sparkly! _ I ignored it and moved on with preparing myself with going to school. I reminisce a bit of the events that happened earlier this morning. Akashi, Daiki, Ryouta, Shintarou, Atsushi, and Kuroko. They are a cool gang, and they played basketball so well together. I wonder whether they're teammates or something, where do they go to school anyways? It was stupid of me for not asking either of them of their contacts. They might be my first friends in Japan! 

_Ah! Yabeeee! I'm going to be late! _I thought for myself as I hurried putting on my Teikou uniform and dashed through the front door, not forgetting to bring my basketball shoes with me to school. 

* * *

I proceed to the faculty office as soon as I reached Teikou. I found out that I will be attending Teikou in 1-B, with Mizushima-_sensei_ as my homeroom teacher. She led me to the classroom while she talks about Teikou in general. She asks whether I wanted to join a school club or not, and I said 'yes', _I definitely want to join the basketball team_. We talked for a bit and as we arrived at the front of the class, she said to wait a bit, as she will explain to the students there about my transfer. I said yes, and she entered the class.

I waited in front of the class when I saw a familiar face hopped from the window. "Ah." We said in union.

"Daiki?"

"_Ha? _Hey, Akari! You're transferring to Teikou? 1-B? Okay, I'll come and get you at lunch."

"Huh? Ah? …Okay." He dashed through the corridor before I could gather up my thoughts; I guess he's late. _Ah well_, Mizushima-_sensei_ is telling me to enter the classroom. Trying to hide my left hand in my oversized Teikou sweater.

* * *

I entered the class, writing my name in kanji, and introduced myself afterwards, "My name is Amaterasu Akari, nice to meet you! I just transferred here from America, I hope we'll get along." I said while holding my right thumb up.

I can see their eyes on me. Probably because of my hair color, shades of red and pink, I guess that's a bit weird in Japan. Maybe it's also because of my golden eyes. Well, I get my hair color from Papa's red hair and Mama's pink hair, and the eyes were Mama's. I'm glad I inherited these features from them.

Soon after I finish my introduction, I was told to sit near the window at the back of the class. A perfect spot to start a new 'life', ah, life is good. The first lesson is, English?

Ah, perfect!

-Lunch Time-

I can see several people trying to approach my seat, and as they arrive, I was bombarded by question concerning my transfer and me.

"Amaterasu-san, is that your natural hair color?"

"Amaterasu-san, why did you transfer?"

"_Sugoi ne, _Akari-san, you're so _kawaii!"_

"I like your eyes, Akari!"

_Same old question_. "Yes, it's my natural hair color…" I laughed it off. "… And I transferred because, I would like a new environment and Japan is my _okaa-san_'s home country, so I would love to go here. And thank you for the compliments." I smiled.

Then I hear a familiar scream, "A~ka~ri~_cchiiiiiii~_".

Ryouta enters the classroom with a wide grin on his face. Following him was Daiki, who's pressing one of his hands to his stomach, gesturing that he's hungry, _tabun_.

"Ryouta!" The whole class started murmuring when Ryouta approaches me.

"_Ne, ne, _Akari-_cchi!_ I didn't know you transferred here-_ssu_! I do know that you're one year below me, though." He said while keeping his grin. It felt like the sun had just entered the classroom. His smile was so radiating. What the hell, I kind of see him transform into a cheerful golden retriever.

"Kyaaa~ Kise-kun!" I hear the girls in the class screams for Ryouta.

"Ryouta, are you… some kind of an idol?"

"_Eh?_ Well, I work as a model-_ssu_. I guess that's what makes people like this when they see me-_ssu_."

_"__MESHI!"_

Daiki shouted from outside the class. "_Hai, hai, ikuyo, _Ryouta, Daiki's hungry. _Ja ne, minna._" I said as I walked towards the door.

* * *

__

"_Is she and Kise-kun?"_

_"__She called him 'Ryouta'?!"_

_"__On top of that, she called that demonic aura emitting Aomine 'Daiki' too?!"_

_"__Uwaaah, scary chic!"_

_"__There goes my chance of hitting on Akari!"_

_"__ARGH! I wanted to get to know Akari-chan better too."_

The whole class went mad after the three of us left. Then, someone was there, tapping her legs as she watched Ryouta and Daiki lead me to the cafetaria. _"Just you wait, __**Amaterasu Akari**_._"_

* * *

The cafetaria in Teikou was extravagant. It's big, and they serve a lot of food there. I spotted Akashi, Shintarou, Atsushi, and Kuroko sitting at a table with three extra empty seats. _Huh, I guess they're teammates after all._

"Akari-_cchi, kochi kochi!_ Let's sit with everyone-_ssu_." I followed quietly behind Ryouta as I feel people eyeing on me approaching the rest of the gang. _Wuah, such hostility._

Akashi spotted me as my thoughts were wondering off, "Akari. Welcome to Teikou, if I may say so."

"_Konnichiwa,_ Akari-_san_." Kuroko added.

"Akashi! _Minna!_ Thank you!" I replied to him.

"Akari-_chin_~ _Hora yo, _sit beside me!" Atsushi tugged my sleeves asking me to sit beside him, so I did. And as soon as I got to my seat, Shintarou speaks up.

"What's your sign, Akari?"

"Huh?"

"Astrology-_nanodayo_! Sign-_nanodayo_!"

"OH! Cancer!"

His mouth slightly curves up, and he fixed his glasses as he says, "My fortune makes up to its name. We share the same sign, then, here's for you."

He held out something in his hands, it's a cute handmade pink-rabbit strap holding a tree.

"What is this? _Kawaaaaiiii~_"

"It's Cancer's lucky item of the day (btw, today is June 23rd, 2014, It's really stated in Oha-Asa), Cancer ranked first in Oha-Asa."

"_Ah so~ Arigato-ne _Shintarou."

He nodded, curving his lip upwards as he reins success in giving me my lucky item of the day.

"Hmmm…"

"What is it Ryouta?" I said as Ryouta was pouting and humming as if he were thinking about something.

"_Nandemonei-ssu. _It just surprises me how you reacted to things, Akari-_cchi_. First you acted normally in seeing Kuroko-_cchi_, and then you just accepted Midorima-_cchi_ blabbering stuff about Oha-Asa towards you-_ssu_. Isn't there anything that could startle you-_ssu_?"

"Ah! I remembered something. Shintarou…"

_"__Nani-nanodayo?"_ He answers.

_"_… _Oha-Asa te… Nani?"_

_Ah_… Quite a long pause were there and shortly after, Ryouta and Daiki burst out into laughter, while Atsushi was busy chomping down his extra large portion of Chicken Katsu, and Akashi was quietly staring and listening to the conversation.

It was Kuroko that answers my question, "Oha-Asa is a daily program Midorima-kun listens to every day. They shared information about astrology, it's ranking of the day and their lucky item of the day."

"_Ah so?_ Thank you Kuroko! And once again thanks to you Shintarou, for sharing your lucky item with me."

"Don't thank me, I happened to have two of today's lucky item and I decide to give it to you because you're also Cancer, and a three pointer, and… (_I am already thankful to that lucky item, Oha-Asa is never wrong! And… I'm concerned about your hand._)"

"…?"

He hid his face and returns to his food right away, "NOTHING!" he replies.

* * *

"AH! I forgot to buy my lunch!"

"_Matte, Akari-cchi!_ Let's go together-_ssu_. Aomine-_cchi_ too, right?"

_"__Atarimaidesho?! Ahhhh… Harahetta!" _Daiki grunts as he got up his chair and followed Ryouta and I to the food counter.

*time skips to the next three days*

Shintarou walked me to my classroom after lunch. Talking about Oha-Asa and three points shoots in general. He didn't mention anything about my hand. I enjoyed talking with him, as he likes to do things that I loved the most about basketball, shooting three points. We arrived at my classroom as I say, "_Arigatou ne, _Shintarou. _Mata ne._"

"_Ja, mata. _Wait, you want to see the basketball club-_nanodayo_?"

My eyes sparkle as I hear him say that, "I'D LOVE TO, SHINTAROU!"

"Then, after class-_nanodayo_. _Ja_…"

Just like that, he dashed off. I chuckled to myself, opening the door to my class and heading to my seat. The rest of the day continues as normal as possible.

*time skips until after school*

The guys in the classroom are asking for me to go with them, saying that they would show me around town. "Sorry, I - "

I didn't finish my sentence as I felt a huge hand on my head. I looked above to see whose it belongs to, yet, I grinned, as I would know whose hand would it be just judging from the size of it. "Atsushi!"

"Akari-_chin_, does these guys bother you? _Ne?_ Do they?"

I can see a hint of fear in my classmates' eyes. I mean, how could they not be? Atsushi is… Huge.

"No they're not, Atsushi. _Gomen ne, _I'd love to go out with you but I have other appointments." I smiled clapping both of my hands together as an apology to the guys in front of me.

"_Hora, _Atsushi! Say you're sorry too for scaring them."

Atsushi groaned yet he also clapped his hands together, with a _Maiubo _in one of his hands.

_"__Gomen te ba~"_ he said childishly. He dropped his _Maiubo_ and I caught it mid-air before it crashed to my desk and shatters into pieces.

"Here, Atsushi!"

"Akari-_chin, daiiiisuki~_" Atsushi clings to me as I finished cleaning up my stuff and head out the class.

* * *

__

"_That catch was, inhuman."_

_"__Desho? Teyuuka, Atsushi?"_

_"__Ne, this Akari girl is unbelievable. Kise, Aomine, Midorima, and now Murasakibara too!"_

_"__Just who the hell is she?"_

_"__I heard they had lunch together too! With Akashi-sama."_

_"__NANI?! Akashi-sama as well?"_

_The classroom was loud again with the gossiping and the murmur. Right then I didn't know that the five of them is the one who they call Kiseki no Sedai, or Generation of Miracles. And little did I know that my relationships with these six skilled basketball players are going to grow. In both the positive, and negative kind of way. _

-chapter 3 end-

* * *

_Sorry if the characters of the GoM members are not like what you're expecting. Just for information, this happens when the GoM members are still in the second grade of junior high school, so there were no problems then and their talents haven't fully blossomed yet. I'll try to stick more to the manga and anime story line but still... I love this!_


	4. First String

I learned that the Teikou Junior High School basketball club really does have over 100 members. They even have three different level of the club. The first string is the main team of the club, the strongest and most important one. The club's captain is always a player from the first string. The second string can be considered reserves for the first string, even though they play their own matches too. The third string is somewhat a dumpster where the players end up in after being rejected from both the first and the second string. It is unknown if the third string even play in their own matches, it seems that it is only created to keep low quality members in the club. It is encouraged for them to improve and advance to the second string, but this is unlikely to happen. Each string has their own coach, and I found it impressive for a junior high school basketball club.

* * *

I was amazed by how complex the club is, and made my way with Atsushi to the first string. The gymnasium was huge! I had to hold my mouth in place so that they wouldn't fall open.

"Ah, Akari, you're here." Akashi said calmly after he saw both Atsushi and I get inside the gym.

"_Hai, ne, _Akashi… Can I join the basketball club?"

Akashi wasn't startled by my question. He knows my intention well enough to say, "I already talked to the coach about your situation. He'll be here any minute now."

Just as he finished his short talk with me, I saw this kind-looking person with thin and combed back light gray hair. He has a well-kept circle beard, seeing through a few wrinkles, you can tell that he is most possibly the coach of Teikou. He walked to where Akashi and I were standing at, and started to smile as he begins his speech.

"The Far Shooter, Akari Amaterasu, right? Pleasure to meet you, my name is Kozo Shirogane, and I am currently in charge of the Teikou basketball team." He offered a small bow in which I returned with a deep bow.

"A pleasure to meet you, Coach Shirogane!"

"_Ma, ma, _the pleasure is mine, meeting the 'Japanese New Legend' or so they say in person. You really took after your folks, Akari."

I can feel the heat got into me as I replied confusedly, "You know my parents?"

"I know them well. Masada was my teammateback in the days, and Misuru was enchanting me with her plays whenever we have a joint practice."

I am in awe. I didn't expect the Coach knows Mama and Papa personally.

* * *

"I have to say before that we don't currently have a girls basketball team, Akari…"

"Is that so?" I answered, slightly sighing, disappointed with the answer from the Coach.

"But, if you really want to join, then maybe you could join the guys basketball team. You have my approval in doing so, but you have to convince them yourself."

"Re-Really? I can?"

Coach Shirogane smiled at my response and cued Akashi, who has been standing there all along to gather all of the first string players, and he did. With just one simple word, _"gather". _Then, Coach Shirogane gives them some announcement.

"Good afternoon, _minna-san_, I have some news to break to you. The first one is that we are going to hold a mini championship match with some other junior high schools. I hope you will all be ready for it. I understand that all of you know what this club's motto is. 'Ever Victorious'. Do not let down that motto."

There were excitement I can feel throughout the entire members, and they all said in union, "Yes Sir!"

"The second news is that I want to introduce this person to you all." He said pointing at me. "Her name is Akari Amaterasu."

"Coach Shirogane, I don't mean to be disrespectful or that I doubted yours and Akashi's decision, but I think we already have enough managers, don't we?" A guy spoke up.

Coach Shirogane smiled at him, and said, "She is not here to be a manager. She is going to join the team with all of you."

A loud "WHAT?!" was heard, and I can particularly understand why.

* * *

"_Tadashi_, you are welcomed to test her ability, if you don't want to just accept the idea of her being in this club. You have my permission to use this practice session to test her ability, and to see whether she is worth to be on Teikou's first string or not. Akari, you are welcomed to use the locker room, please change to your basketball clothing."

"_Hai._"

Some players murmured over the news that Coach had broken to them. Right after finishing his speech, he turns to leave the gymnasium, with me following him from behind. He showed me the way to the locker room and leaves me to change, before that, he wished me luck in gaining the team's trust and I said thank you very much for his kind help. I quickly change to a black basketball shorts and a red shirt. I looked at my left hand; covered in band-aids, hoping it'll all be okay. Putting my reddish basketball shoes and slipping my lucky item of the day that Shintarou gave earlier inside of my pocket, and head back out to the court.

* * *

_"__If you don't believe the words that Coach Shirogane said, as you heard earlier, you are given permission to test her." Akashi said._

_"__I will also give you permission to do so." He continues._

_Some 'I'll take her on' were heard throughout the team. _

_"__Then, you can also choose in which area you would assess her in. I leave all to your content." Akashi said. Yet, he says to his own self, 'Akari's left hand… Is it really okay?'_

* * *

I entered the court again, with my hair fully set into a ponytail again. I looked around the court and see all of the guys are standing right where they were minutes ago. _Uwah, such pressure_. I thought to myself.

"Then, Akari, would you introduce yourself to the team?" Akashi said.

"_Hai,_ my name is Akari Amaterasu, class 1-B. I just transferred to Teikou from USA. A pleasure to meet you." I bowed to the team while slightly hiding my left hand.

Murmurs were heard again, but this time there is someone who raises his hand up, saying that he would challenge me in a 1-on-1 game. And so, 7 people in total raised their hands to challenge me in a 1-on-1 game. I nodded at Akashi saying my approval of the turn of events, and he gestured for the challengers and myself to take our position. I grabbed hold of my left hand, making sure that the band-aids and bandages wouldn't fall off. _Gah! I'm so excited_. I smiled.

"First match, 3 points game. Start."

The ball is in my hand; the guy that challenges me first was holding a defensive position in front of me. _That's a good defense you got there_. I immediately took a step back readying my left hand to shoot the ball, when he 'reads' me and leaned forward to steal the ball. Yet, I took a dash to his opening, his right-hand side, and scored a point of myself.

"1-0. Loser ball. Start."

He's holding the ball now. Tried to find an opening he'd hoping he'd see; yet he doesn't. He gets flustered because of it and decides to shoot a three-point in front of me, without bothering to fake. _Baka-ga?_ I stole the ball from his hand just before he raised it. I heard a loud "Oh! She stole it from Kayama-senpai!" and "What's with that hand full of band-aids and bandages?" coming from the bleachers but I didn't pay attention to it. He got back to defense and yet before he finished his stance, I took a further step back than before and makes the hoop goes *swish* of my three-point.

"Game over. Akari wins."

* * *

"Akari-_cchi_ looks awfully happy when she's in the court, don't you think, Aomine-_cchi_?" Ryouta spoke to Daiki, as he only got an "Mmm…" as a reply with a hint of smile across Daiki's face that Ryouta miss to see.

"But, what's with all the bandages she has on her left hand?" Daiki continues.

"Ah, you're right. What's up with it?"

* * *

I played the 7 games arranged for me and managed to win it all without losing a point.

"Who's next?" Akashi said calmly as he smiles at my actions.

"I'll go against you." I grinned as Shintarou offered to be my opponent.

"Shintarou, I've been waiting! Let's start this."

Getting a smile as a reply for my answer, Akashi arranged the court to be a three-points shootout between Shintarou and I. I can feel my left hand tremble a bit. But I haven't shoot threes so much earlier, and I kept on playing mostly with my right hand, I guess it'll work out somehow.

"Uwah! Now this is entertainment!" Daiki said as he drops his Horikita Mai-chan book to look up to the battle between Shintarou and I. Still worrying about my hands though he doesn't say a thing.

Baskets after baskets were made because of the constant shooting that Shintarou and I throw at the hoops, never missing a single shot. The stinging pain is becoming clearer every shoot I took. The jaws of almost the entire first-string team dropped.

* * *

"Midorima_-cchi_ and Akari-_cchi _are equally leveled. This is going nowhere just like that morning, won't it?"

"What happened that morning?" A member asked Ryouta about the events happened earlier this morning.

"Ah, you see, we bumped into Akari-_cchi_ first thing in the morning and asks her to play along with us, which she did, and the game was over with a stand-still just like this one, with her and Midorima-_cchi_ going head to head on three-points without no one backing off."

"So, you guys tied with her?"

"Yeah, the team was Kise, Akari, and I, and Midorima, Murasakibara and Akashi on the other team."

Daiki answers for Ryouta. Which left the whole first-string dumbfounded. "Alright, that'll be enough, Shintarou, Akari." Akashi stopped us from shooting another three and called us in. Did he notice my hand?

* * *

"Akari-_chin_ _sugoooooiii~_" I heard Atsushi finishing off his _Maiubo_ and coming to get me and hugged me as a 'reward' for I don't even know what. I hid my left hand behind my body as I let him hug me, it'd let me cover my hand better, _thanks Atsushi._

"That's all from us, Akari-chan. I finally know who you are now." A person said after getting up from his seat. That's Nijimura-senpai, Teikou's former captain before Akashi.

"Huh?" I asked him, feeling grateful that he accepted me, yet confused of the reasoning behind it.

"You're the Far Distance Shooter, Amaterasu Akari, am I right?"

"_Uso! Really? The three points prodigy of the East"_

"Yes, that's you, isn't it, Akari-chan?" Nijimura-senpai smiles at me, then at himself when he continues, "I accept you, Akari-chan. Or Aka-chan?"

My eyes widens when he said Aka-chan. He reminds me a lot of Luke-chan, even though he doesn't have the build like Luke-chan. "Aka-chan _de ii yo_, Nijimura-senpai. _Hontou ni arigato ne, Yoroshiku._" I grinned!

The other first-string members started talking of how they approve of me being in the first-string. Yet there was something that bothers them, that they are accepting a girl in the basketball club, something unheard of from Teikou, and they even got Coach's permission to do so. I can see from the corner of my eyes, the Generation of Miracles, whom I have just been introduced to, was smiling for my success just a bit. Nijimura-senpai then approached me and said something as loud as to let just me to listen to him.

* * *

"_Ne, _Aka-chan. You can call me Shuzo, you know… and there is something… you know…"

"_Ah… Hai. _What is it Shuzo-senpai?"

"Still with the senpai, huh? Um… How can I put this…?"

I can see a bit of frustration in his eyes when he's scratching the back of his head, finding difficulties in saying something to me. "Nothing, Aka-chan, just enjoy being here, okay?"

"I will! Thank you senpai!"

"Akari-_cchi~_" I leave Shuzo-senpai's side to join Ryouta who is asking me for a 1-on-1, in which he copies all of my moves, except one. I tried to forget the stinging pain on my left arm, and just go with the game as best as I can give.

* * *

_Then, as we were playing in the court, Shuzo-senpai approached Akashi and said, "Akashi…"_

_"__Hm? Nijimura-senpai, what is it?"_

_"__Akashi, you know that she would be in trouble sooner or later, right? Some people may not be comfortable enough to see a girl on the field, even if it's Aka-chan."_

_"__Yes, I am aware of this. Do not worry, senpai. I'm also aware of her hand condition, so you shouldn't worry much."_

_Shuzo-senpai eyes someone who's trying to hide herself in the shadow just outside the gymnasium, looking at her as she pays attention on me, and Ryouta. "It's started?"_

_Akashi's eyes join Shuzo-senpai's in watching the girl, "We'll take care of it, senpai." He then advert his gaze back to the game Ryouta and I was enjoying that we forget time, ourselves. _

_"__Hai, that's all for today's practice." With that, Akashi told us to go and change clothes, which we did, and got out of the gym. _

-chapter 4 end-


	5. (Un)Friendly Match

*time skips to a week after*

"We are going to have a practice match against Kirisaki Dai'ichi High at their school tomorrow." Akashi announced after he gathered the basketball club together.

"Against a high school?" A senpai asked.

"Yes, and the members participating in this practice session are… Akashi Seijuurou #4, Atsushi Murasakibara #5, Aomine Daiki #6, Midorima Shintarou #7, Kise Ryouta #8, Shuzo Nijimura #9, Akari Amaterasu #11, Kuroko Tetsuya #15, (…and so on). Prepare yourselves for the match."

My eyes widens at the names spoken by Akashi, so was the eyes of the rest of the first-string members. "Akashi, I'm playing?" I said to him, believing that my ears would be deceiving me.

"Why wouldn't you be? We already prepared your uniform. Shintarou…"

Shintarou steps forward, handing me a Teikou uniform with the number #11. "Here's your uniform. That's the number you've always used right?"

My eyes wouldn't get bigger as I looked at the number on the jersey I just received. "_Arigatou…_"

"You've earned it, Akari." Shuzo-senpai said to me, followed by the nod of the entire team.

_Yosh!_ I will do my best in this game. I looked at my left hand, that has started trembling from exhaust and a stinging pain started to interfere with my happiness. Then I said _don't disappoint me_, and receiving a pat on the head by Atsushi "You'll be okay Akari-_chin~_" I'll be all right.

* * *

*that Tuesday*

The team walks out of the bus that got us to Kirisaki Dai'ichi, showing us this fancy school that has multiple buildings in its complex. _Uwah, and here I thought Teikou is already showy_. We made our way to the gym, Atsushi and I were busy with our snacks while Ryouta is texting his fan girls' mails. "Akari-_chin~_" I heard Atsushi calling me, asking me to open one of his snacks, "Here Acchan~".

"_Arigatoooou~_" he said playfully. While Ryouta's on my neck saying I shouldn't call Atsushi 'Acchan' while keeps calling him Ryouta. "Then will Ryou-chan be fine for you Ryouta?"

He nods cheerfully and there were flowers surrounding him as soon as I started calling him Ryou-chan. "_Ne, ne, Akari-cchi, _call me that again!" I did what he asked for a few times until Daiki's hand is around my neck.

"Akari… Don't give him what he wants that easily or he'll clings unto you more."

"Dai-chan, are you jealous of him?" I said playfully while holding on his hands around my neck.

"Wha- _Dai-chan_?" His face became pinker and pinker as I said that repeatedly.

We got in to the gym after a short walk from the entrance, receiving some 'boos', annoying 'why are you late', 'show off!' and 'do you really think a junior high club can beat high school's?' from the gathered audience. Ignoring them, we greeted the coach-less club, having their team captain, Hanamiya Makoto, a second year student lead the club. We head to the changing room as I excused myself to put on my uniform in the toilet.

I looked at myself in the mirror, wearing the number 11 Teikou basketball jersey. Wow they especially made this jersey for woman; I'm blessed with a team like this, it's a perfect fit. I re-arrange my bandages on my left hand, making sure that it wouldn't bother my play and I today. I gripped on my left hand tight before I leave the restroom, re-joining my teammates who are already making their way to the bench.

Shintarou sees me as I joined the team, and handed me a green handkerchief with a big golden writing of 'Winner' on it, saying that it's my lucky item of the day. "Thank you, Shin-chan!"

"Shin… Chan…?"

"Yeah, Shintarou, Shin-chan!" I said giggling to myself as I wrap the handkerchief as small as I can and put it inside of my pocket. But what I didn't know was that Shintarou was keeping information from me, it's that how Cancer was placed last on today's Oha-Asa.

* * *

_"__What's a __**girl **__doing there? Cheerleading them?! HAHAHAHA." _

_"__Oi oi, are you serious about this? They're throwing the game away on us?!"_

_"__How much more insulting can they be?! So-called the best junior high basketball team?!"_

* * *

"Leave them be, Akari, pay no attention to them."

Akashi turns to me, comforting me from the sayings the crowd throw at me "_Hai…_"

"The starting members are, Ryouta, Daiki, Atsushi, Akari, and myself. Let's do it." Akashi gave his orders to us. "Hai!"

We entered the court to do warm-ups. I do my long stretching routine before returning to the three-point line to do a couple of shoots.

* * *

Kirisaki Dai'ichi's bench.

There they was, Koujirou Furuhashi, Kazuya Hara, Hiroshi Yamazaki, and Kentarou Seto, led by Makoto Hanamiya, one of the Uncrowned Kings, being Kirisaki Dai'ichi's captain and coach talking about how the game would go.

"Isn't this bad, they're Teikou after all. Each of them had a set skill, and they're known as the Generation of Miracles aren't they?"

"So what? I'm always telling you, whether it's genius or prodigy, once it's broken, its just garbage." Hanamiya smirks.

* * *

"Then, shall we begin?" Akashi commands as we enter the court.

We heard another set of 'boos' and 'what's a girl doing on a court?', but we brushed them off.

Atsushi stands in the center of the court, along with Kirisaki Dai'ichi's center, Seto. The game was about to start when Hanamiya moved closer to me, saying, "You know that this is not a house game right?"

Akashi stared at Hanamiya and moved closer to the two of us, when I started smiling at Hanamiya. "Don't worry, I don't _play_ house game."

What I said sends a smile to Akashi's face as he arrives and said to me, "Akari, your mark is #8."

"Yes, I'm going there right now."

* * *

Hanamiya's face turns sour as he heard my words then turns to Akashi, preparing for the tip-off. Atsushi wins the tip-off that sends the ball towards both Akashi and Hanamiya. Then he heard Hanamiya said, "It would be unfortunate to see a girl covered in wounds, wouldn't it?" he scoffs, leaving an unreadable expression on Akashi's face for a split second.

Akashi grabs the ball sent towards him and dashed forward, passing to me when I stand on the three-point line. Yamazaki, Kirisaki Dai'ichi's shooting guard (SG) is marking me, yet I took a step backward as I prepare the ball on my left hand and shoot the ball without a second to lose, leaving the hoop with just a *swish* sound. Three point for Teikou, Akashi smiles at Hanamiya, it's as if he's saying that I wouldn't be getting hurt, and that he should be wary of what's coming up for him and his team.

Kirisaki Dai'ichi prepares for a counterattack; Seto passed the ball to Hanamiya as Ryouta steals the ball and went for the point himself, leaving Kirisaki Dai'ichi 5 points behind us. "It's time for us to made this game more interesting. Put the Junior High student where they belong, below us." Hanamiya said grinning, while his teammates nodded to his command. Seto passed the ball to Hanamiya again, and then before we know it, Furuhashi dashed off and made the point for Kirisaki Dai'ichi.

* * *

And then it started. Ryouta tried to lay-up to get more points after the first quarter ended with Kirisaki Dai'ichi got 10 points ahead of us, and he failed, leaving me to rebound the ball. I didn't realize that Sato was blocking the referee's sight, and Yamazaki were stepping on my right foot, making me unable to get the rebound and got the point to himself. I got back to Teikou's half of the court and got to the ring just after he dunked the ball. Yamazaki was releasing his grip, making me a cushion to his fall, "Akari, watch out!" Daiki screamed.

I dodged that with my left hand unconsciously, leaving a red bruise on my arm. Daiki ran towards me and saw the bruise, and then I told him that I am fine and I shook it off, continuing with the game. The coach made a change of player, putting in Kuroko and taking Akashi out. We continued the game with the addition of Kuroko's amazing passing skill, making it easier for us to run our attacking drill. But that doesn't stop Kirisaki Dai'ichi's rough play. Whenever Sato gets inline of the referee's sight, the other three players would either punch our stomachs or put their foot on top of ours, but we cannot report it to the referee because he didn't see it. I can see Daiki getting on his nerves as the rough play of Kirisaki Dai'ichi continues. The score was 48-56, in the favor of Kirisaki Dai'ichi, and thus, the second quarter ends, leaving a 10 minutes interval to the match.

Before going back to the bench, Kuroko asks Hanamiya whether he's happy winning a match in such an underhanded way, then Hanamiya answers to his answer, "Happy? Of course I'm happy! They say that the pain of other tastes so sweet, you're just starting to grit your teeth, just you wait, we'll put you in your place." Leaving one angry Kuroko walking towards his bench.

* * *

I asked for ice from one of my teammates, and Shuzo-senpai puts the ice on my bruises. Ryouta, seeing how the bruises are covering my body, commented, "Akari-_cchi_, I am not happy. How can I be, they're being this rough on you-_ssu_! And I know that you're the one they had their eyes on from the start-_ssu_!"

"I should've told you earlier that Cancer placed last in Oha-Asa-_nanodayo_. I'm sorry…"

"No it's not your fault Shin-chan. Don't worry about me, I'm still good to go." What I said was to convince mostly myself, because the pain in my left hand is becoming clearer as I speak.

"Akari-_chin_~" Atsushi called, "You should be benched…"

"No, Acchan. I'm not going to sit on the bench. Please Akashi, send me back to the court."

Akashi stayed silent for a moment, then answers, "It's entirely up to you whether you want to stay in the game or not. But if it gets more dangerous, I'll immediately take you out, understand?"

"_Hai! Arigatou._"

* * *

On the other side of the changing room, I can hear Daiki kicking on a bench. "What the hell?! Is the referee blind or something?!"

"Daiki, don't damage the property." Akashi said, and then Daiki sat down on a bench next to Kuroko.

"You shouldn't break things, you know." Kuroko said to Daiki, which he answers back, "I know that already, _teyuuka_, how can you stay so calm, Tets-"

Daiki stops his speech, seeing one furious expression on Kuroko's usually straight face.

* * *

The match resumes as the plan that has been changed was that I was only meant to shoot three-points, and was not allowed to step in the paint. Kuroko traded places with Akashi and is once more on the bench, still keeping his furious feelings in him.

I shoot a couple of threes, and started to really feel the pain on my hand. It's not even my limit yet the pain is getting unbearable. I decided to abandon the rules set to me by Akashi and the coach and stepped in to the paint for a rebound which was answered with a slap to my wrist by Hara, Kirisaki Dai'ichi's power forward (PF), and a punch to the gut by Furuhashi, leaving me grabbing on to my left arm stayed still on Teikou's side of the paint. _Shit! I'm not going to let this interferes with the match._ I asked for the ball from Akashi, who's still dribbling after Atsushi passed to him.

*time skip to 4th quarter (Score: 72-70 for Kirisaki Dai'ichi)*

I planted my feet on the middle of the court, releasing a three-point from the centerline. It went in, and Kirisaki Dai'ichi is once more on the offense. This time, Yamazaki went head to head with me, trying to pass me from my left side. I can hear a sound of finger tapping by Hanamiya, along with "It's so unfortunate…" that only Daiki and Akashi was able to hear. Hard bumping my hand and me on the way, leaving me on the ground as he didn't get the offensive foul and that the point counts. I finally let a scream out of my mouth, voicing the pain I felt on my arm.

_"__Referee time out!"_

I can see Atsushi coming towards me; his face was pale, asking what's wrong with me. Daiki pulled on Hanamiya's jersey, saying that he gave a sign to his teammates to injure me, but all he got was a technical foul and some words from the referee. Ryouta sees me holding a tight grip on my left hand, thinking to himself that there may be something wrong with it. The coach pulled me to the bleachers and put Kuroko on the match. The match still has to go on. Shintarou has my spot now, and Akashi returned to the bleachers, leaving Kuroko to set the scores.

* * *

"Shin-chan… I'm sorry…" I said to Shintarou.

Shintarou opens the bandages on his left hand, fixed the position of his glasses, saying, "I'll pay them back for you, just you see…"

"Trust us, Akari-san…" Kuroko smiled at me. I smiled back wryly and said to them, _yes, I believe you._

The match continues as Shuzo-senpai converse with me,

"Aka-chan… Let me see your hand."

"No, Shuzo-senpai, I'm okay. It's okay."

Akashi stared at me, and said to Shuzo-senpai, "Nijimura-senpai, could you take Akari to the changing room? I will go with you."

"Okay. Let's go, Aka-chan."

* * *

The three of us goes to the changing room after the coach gives us permission. Upon entering the chamber, Akashi said, "Open the bandages, Akari."

I startled at his cold words, and I hesitated. Keeping my left hand below my right one for a while.

"Aka-chan… This will be just between the three of us."

I finally gave up and nodded, giving permission to them for opening my bandages. Akashi leaned down and started opening the bandages himself, revealing some of the scars meant to be hidden under it.

Shuzo-senpai pulled down the wristband and saw a long line across the up side of my arm. "What…?"

"I can't play for more than 30 minutes." I said with a low voice, which was enough for the two of them to hear it.

"You should've told us. You should've told me, Akari." Akashi said.

"I'm sorry."

Shuzo-senpai carefully arranges a new set of bandages and band-aids on my left hand and also gave his own wristband for me to use. "Here, good as new. You should've told us and you know it, right Aka-chan?"

"I'll let this one slide for now. You shouldn't hide anything from me anymore, understand?"

* * *

Shuzo-senpai and Akashi demanded an answer as I can only nod to them. Holding my tears as best as I can. Never have I told anyone the amounts of time I can play, and never did anyone hear me out and patted my head afterwards. We returned to the bleachers, seeing that there's only 45 seconds on the clock. The score was… 72 – 106 for Teikou. _Whoa, Kirisaki Dai'ichi didn't score a single point afterwards?_

I can see the angry faces of Daiki, Ryouta, Shintarou, Atsushi, and Kuroko on the court. Kuroko passed an alley-up to Daiki as he slams it in the hoop; afterwards it's Ryouta doing the same thing Daiki did, Atsushi blocking the Kirisaki Dai'ichi members from adding more points to their name, and Shintarou with his three-points. All of the rough plays of Kirisaki Dai'ichi were no longer usable, as Atsushi strengthens the defense in the paint both on offense and on defense, leaving the members getting tired over nothing.

The game ends with 72 for Kirisaki Dai'ichi and 111 for Teikou, who claims victory over a high school basketball club. But no one from Teikou cheered that day, no one cheered from snatching a win against such underhanded school. So, silently, we got on our bus and went home.

- chapter 5 end-

* * *

_The first match is a practice match between Teikou and Kirisaki Dai'ichi high school. Err... And for the sake of this storyline, just believe that **the members of the uncrowned kings are already on their 2nd years of highschool**. (Because I'm also planning to make Teppei- (whoops, spoiler!) an important character in the story. _


	6. Celebration!

*time skips to 3 days after*

"Akari-san, are you done?"

"Ah, Kuroko, yes I'm done. Were you waiting for me? Sorry I took so long." I conversed with Kuroko as soon as I turned the lights at the gym off. I weren't allowed to practice with the team for the last two days after the match, so I practiced today and was getting too worked up that I didn't notice everyone leaves. Looking at the clock, no wonder there's anyone there except yourself, and Kuroko. I managed to rearrange my band-aids that have moved out of its place. And covered it with another layer of bandage. Hiding it inside my sweater, I asked Kuroko something, "I guess everybody already went home, didn't they, Kuroko?"

"You can call me Tetsuya, or Tetsu, if you want. Yes they have, and yes, I am waiting for you. You really shouldn't be out alone in this time of the night." He's showing a poker face while he's talking, but he's really paying attention to me, isn't he, that's sweet.

* * *

We made our way to the school gates where I can see a few silhouettes standing there. We didn't really have sufficient lighting to let me see their exact builds and faces from a distance, Tetsu, however, unfazed, walked straight to the figures.

"Yo, Akari! Took you long enough!" That's Daiki's voice.

"Dai-chan?" I murmured to myself, leaving Tetsu staring at me for a while, figuring out what's in my head.

"Akari-_cchi! _Let's celebrate! Celebrate-_ssu! _We haven't celebrated you joined the team-_ssu_!"

"Ryou-chan!"

"Akari-_chin_, _Maiubooo~_"

I caught a _Maiubo_ in the air from Atsushi, needing to jump to catch it. I have to admit that I was a bit too excited when catching the _Maiubo_ from him, and lost a bit of control over the power of my jump. Preparing myself for a bump from hitting the ground, which I… _didn't?_

I opened my eyes to see me still floating in the air, a bit too high for my comfort. Then I realize that Atsushi caught me before I fell to the ground. "Akari-_chin_~ I don't like sharing. But if it's with you then maybe its _okaaaay_…" He said, holding me tight in his arms not wanting to let me fall down.

"Acchaaan!" I hugged his big neck and snuggled against it, saying my thanks for catching me, when I heard Ryouta talking.

"You cheater-_ssu_! Murasaki-_cchi_ I also want a hug from Akari-_cchi_!" He complains.

"_Iiyada yoooo…_" Atsushi pouted. "I want to share with her, not share _her_, Kise-_chin_."

* * *

Leaving me laugh at them, I climbed my way down back to the ground where I had to convince Atsushi to put me down or else we wouldn't be able to continue to the 'celebration'. The five of us head to the convenience store that's located very near to my house, to my surprise. Ryouta bought us a box of popsicles, when I spotted Shintarou at the corner of the convenience store, asking him to join us. Then, Atsushi accompanied me inside after I said I want to buy more snacks. I bought him the seaweed flavored _Maiubo_, and a couple of boxes for myself. We paid for the food and returned to the gang.

"Akari! You'll get fat if you eat so much, you know." Daiki comments on me buying so much food, competing with Atsushi's grocery bag he's been holding on.

"Dai-chan! No I won't, don't worry~" I replied to him, opening a box of _Maiubo _to myself. "Acchan, wanna trade?"

Atsushi looked at the _Maiubo_ I offered him and took one out of his bag, giving me the seaweed flavor in exchange for my curry flavor. "Murasaki-_cchi's_ really sharing his _Maiubo_!" Ryouta's eyes shot up to the scene.

"Akari." Shintarou spoke up, "I think it's time you come clean and tell us about your sudden disappearance from the USA basketball and that left hand of yours…" I froze.

"_Oi, oi, _Midorima-_cchi_, That's rude to say that straight up your face, you know." Ryouta joins the conversation, when suddenly the downpour starts. And it's getting harder with every second pass.

"Shin-chan…" I rolled up my left hand sleeves and pulled the bandages off. Showing them a couple of my scratches. I also pulled my wristband, showing them a large cut around my wrist; "Here's my left hand's condition right now…"

* * *

Shintarou's eyes carefully scanned my left hand. The other three were looking at it too, amazed of how it looked like, because they can only wonder what its condition actually is. They were awed by it and they didn't know what to say. "What the hell happened?!" Daiki shouted at the sight of my hand while the rain's getting harder.

"Ne, my place is actually really near to this place, do you want to go there, besides, and it's getting cold, and wet."

Atsushi, Daiki, Ryouta and myself heads for my apartment after Shintarou and Kuroko excused themselves for they have another business to attend to. I lead them to the 11th floor of the building, soaking wet, showing them the no. 111 door as I opened the lock. We head inside and I invited them inside.

* * *

"_Woah! _Akari-_cchi_'s house is amazing-_ssu! _Everything is emitting a _kawaii_ aura-_ssu._"

Ryouta said as he enters my apartment. He wonders around the apartment, l was busy preparing for dinner for my entire guest. I'm happy to have company in such a big house. While waiting for the cooking to be done, I went to my room to change my uniform out. I put on a long sleeved white shirt, with a short jeans jumpsuit. Arranging my hair to a set of pigtails, and bringing out some of Luke-chan's oversized clothes for the three guys to change to. Also a set of towels needed to dry them off.

"_Minna_, please change your clothes so that you won't be sick. If you want to use the bathroom, it's there by the end of the hall."

"_Sugoi ne_ Akari-_cchi!_ It's the first time for me seeing you in casual clothes-_ssu_. _Kawaii desu ne? Ne, Aomine-cchi?_"

"_Hah?_" He groaned before leaving for the bathroom. He turned around, and what he said made me grin, "_Kawaii, d-desu… tabun…_" Then he dash off to the bathroom, leaving a loud bang from when he closed the door.

I arranged the plates on the table as I see they've all finished changing. Ryouta wore a light yellow shirt with the Timberwolves logo on the backside; Daiki rolled the sleeves of my black panther t-shirt, and Atsushi… Well, I'm surprised that I have something that he would fit in to… He wore a huge pink sweater that I got as a gift from Ken-chan.

I prepared a huge feast for them. Mostly meat… I turned to give each of them their rice serving, giving Atsushi a huge bowl of rice for him to eat. "Wah, _ippaiii~_" he said.

ITADAKIMASU!

-chapter 6 end-

* * *

_This chapter is mainly about the late celebration of Akari joining the basketball team, and some of the Generations of Miracles started to see the reality of Akari's left hand! What's next? What's next? **Warning, pretty long chapter coming up next!**_


	7. Past and Present

*time skips to the next morning*

I woke up earlier than planned this morning. It's a Saturday, and next to me are Ryouta, Daiki, and Atsushi. Sleeping over since last night's supper.

-Flashback-

_"__Uwaaaah~ I'm so full! Thanks for the food Akari-cchi! The food was great-ssu!" Ryouta was leaning on the couch holding his stomach as he was really was satisfied by it. _

_"__Akari, do you have any interesting movies?"_

_"__They're on the rack beside the TV, Dai-chan. Check them out and play one of them on the TV afterwards! Acchan, catch!"_

_Atsushi looks at me from the living room, and held his hand up to catch a Maiubo box I sent flying towards him. "Haaaaaai~ Arigatou neee Akari-chin~"_

_He turns towards the TV once again. Once I'm done with the dishes, I joined the three of them in the living room. Daiki seemed to have picked a scary movie. What the heck is it doing in this house! Papa must know very clearly that I don't really enjoy scary movie!_

_Ryouta moved from the chair to seat on the floor, telling me to rest on his shoulder, and so I did. Atsushi was lying on the couch Ryouta was sitting in that barely fit him, his legs hanging by the end of the chair. His hand was on my head while the other hold the Maiubo that I threw him earlier. While Daiki is resting his head on my lap, after removing the table that disturbs his view of the TV. I grabbed hold of Daiki's hair tightly after I saw a disturbing scene that I hate, causing him to say "Ita-ta-ta-ta! Itai yo Akari!" ah gomen. _

_And that was how the day ended, we fell asleep right after the movie finished the credits. Well, I think Atsushi fell asleep halfway through the movie, and I soon followed after. Ryouta and Daiki still enjoy the movie till it ends._

-End of Flashback-

Ryouta is resting his head on top of mine, and I still feel Daiki's soft hair on my damaged hand, while Atsushi's were on my shoulder. I rubbed on Daiki's hair when he smiled and grabbed my hand and put it on his own hands. Holding it to his neck, he snuggles his face on to my hand. I did remove my bandages when I changed my clothes earlier. He traces the scars on my hand with his fingers, it's like he's embracing them. I smiled to it.

Ryouta's holding my other arm in his own and placing it on his lap. He started playing with my fingers soon after I realize he's holding my hand. Atsushi's hand starting to choke me when he turns, and then the doorbell rang and I had to get up from the position I was in. Trying not to wake up the three who are still sleeping peacefully, I got up from the floor after putting a pillow for Daiki, replacing my legs that he slept on.

I went to the kitchen to drink water and put bandage on my left hand before grabbing the door. I saw Shintarou after I opened the door and beside him was Akashi. How did he know where I was living?

* * *

"_Ohayougozaimazu_ Akari."

"_Haa, ohayou_ Shin-chan, Akashi. _Dozo_." I let them enter the house.

Akashi walked in and woke up Ryouta, Daiki and Atsushi all together with a single command 'wake up'. The three of them instantly wake up and sat straight while still yawning and embracing whatever dreams they might have seen before Akashi woke them up. I served drinks and snacks, leaving Atsushi with extra serving before he even asks, and joins them in the living room. I sat between Ryouta and Atsushi, while Daiki seats besides Ryouta and Akashi was on the other side of the table. Next to Atsushi was Shintarou.

* * *

"_Ne, _Tetsu. Don't just stand there, sit down here too, there's a place to sit beside Akashi."

"_Ah? Oh hai_."

"Kuroko-_cchi_?" "Tetsu?!"

Ryouta and Daiki said in union after I told Tetsu to sit down rather than just standing by the wall. Besides, he came with Shintarou and Akashi, I wonder why Daiki and Ryouta was so surprised. Atsushi was too busy tending to his snacks rather than reacting towards Tetsu's 'sudden' appearance. "Kuro-_chin_… _Ohayou_…" Atsushi said lazily.

"_Ohayougozaimazu, _Murasakibara-kun." He replied shortly.

"_Sa te, _Akari. Would you care to explain about the situation you're currently in?" Akashi asks.

"By situation, you mean my hand?" I said while keeping hold of my left hand. The air got heavy and I feel their eyes were on me.

Ryouta takes out my hand and started removing the bandages around it. Prevailing my badly scratched hand along with the large cut on my wrist. Akashi stayed still, giving no comments, paid attention to my hand held out by Ryouta.

I turned my head down for a moment, swallowed my own breath, and begin explaining about the incident that happened just one year ago.

-Flashback-

_"__I hate you!"_

_"__What are you doing, showing off your basketball skill, Akari? We know you're the daughter of the famous basketball coach, Masada-san, and the WNBA Japanese-born legend, Misuru-san. But don't get cocky with your skill!" I can feel her shoving me, making me fall down afterwards. _

_"__Ugly Akari!"_

_ "__Ew, just die!"_

_"__What's with your left hand anyway, let's just damage it and leave her be."_

* * *

_One girl from my old junior high school in USA grabbed hold of my left hand while grinning madly. She was in my basketball team back then, to be exact, she was the captain of the team. Her name is Shizuka, but we called her Chiza for short. There was an event where our entire team was invited to train with Papa's team. Meeting with Luke-chan, Ken-chan, and Robin-chan really brightens my day. We exchanged hugs and hellos, and then it started._

_She started calling me names after the practice on Papa's court was over. She said that I was showing off my skills to them, being Papa's daughter and all. Then I got that call from the USA basketball team, telling me to come with them for an international championship, and of course I said 'yes', there's no way that I would want to turn down such an offer. We played the whole series and came up as the winner of the championship; acquiring the title I have now, 'The Far Shooter'._

_They started to take close attention to me, the media, I mean. Publishing out articles that made me proud, yet really turns my life 180 degrees to the bad side. Press started attending my club's basketball practice, ignoring the rest of the team except me. This made Chiza hated me even more. _

_That day, Chiza was holding a big knife, and her friends were holding my body so I wouldn't run. Two of them were holding smaller cutter. They started cutting the skin on my left arm. I screamed out in pain, but then no one came to my rescue because it's in the school storage. Away from all the noise and the life inside the school. She didn't seem satisfied, that's why she put her knife against the skin on my wrist. Dragging it towards my vein, cutting half of my upper wrist open. She left me there after she was satisfied in damaging my left hand. Saying that I wouldn't be able to play basketball again after this. _

_After bandaging my hand with my sweater, I ran home, finding the shock on Mama and Papa's faces. They drove me to the nearest hospital to get my arm treated. They held several operations just to get my hand as they were before this happens. The doctor told me that I would be able to play basketball again, just not as I were. I had to restrain myself in playing basketball, especially in doing the three-point shots that I was proud about. _

* * *

_For once, I hated basketball. It's hard to hate something that you love, to hate something you cannot live without, to hate something that defines who you are. _

_I got back up, doing rehabilitation and such just to add more power to this damaged hand. In time, I was able to play 30 minutes of a game doing as much threes as I can. But right after 30 minutes… I wouldn't be able to play anymore. But I weren't able to enjoy it as much as I did before, there was something missing. That was why the offer to go to Japan, Mama's home country was like a dream come true, to start over. To regain what I have lost in basketball, my heart._

- End of Flashback-

"I had to go MIA in the basketball world back then because I didn't want to cause any more trouble, for my family, my friends, and myself. But Luke-chan, Robin-chan and Ken-chan know about my story, I didn't told them her name. You are the only ones who know the whole story, though. Hehe, sorry for dumping this all on you guys…"

The six of them listened intently when I'm telling my story. But I can feel hostility from them, especially from Shintarou. "That happened to you?"

Shintarou asked just after I laugh my story off and I nodded. He sighed, fixed the position of his glasses, and said, "You're one tough girl-_nanodayo_."

Shintarou smiled painfully, as if he's trying to make me share the pain with him. I smiled to him, while Daiki just lost it, "What the hell, Akari! I can't believe you befriended people like that! It's because you don't want to hurt other people, right?! It's because of that?! Then fuck off the idea! You would've lost your hand! You could've just run from them, can't you?!"

I smiled at him, "Dai-chan, the past is the past. Thinking about the past and moping about it won't do me any good… And… I'm okay right now… Kind of…" I tried to hold in my tears that are threatening to pour out if I say another word. I looked at my left hand.

"Akari-_chin_~" I looked up to Atsushi who just called my name. Feeling something shoved into my mouth. _Maiubo…_ I started sobbing as the flavor of the snack went around my mouth, I can't hold it anymore. Never have I cried about this, and never was there someone to listen to me intently like this before. Atsushi put his huge hand on my head, "_Naitemo daijoubudesu… _Cry on me, Akari-_chin_…"

Ryouta pulled me close to him as he says, "Cry on me too, Akari-_cchi_… I'm here for you too-_ssu_…" I can feel my tears make their way out of my eyes even heavier now that Atsushi and Ryouta said that.

"It's not just them, Akari-san…"

"Tetsuya is right, all of us are here for you, and we will always be here for you. Whenever you need us."

_Akashi… Tetsu…_ I looked at each and every one of them and smiled while still in Ryouta's arms, crying my heart out for the first time. Then, I fell asleep.

* * *

_The hostility rises again after I'm asleep. The first one to say anything was Akashi. _

_"__What do you guys think about her story?"_

_"__Kanashiidessu…" Ryouta spoke. "I hated the feeling of not being able to do anything-ssu. Not that we've been with her long enough to know about these things, but I feel kind of angry, at myself, and our meeting with her."_

_"__I'd kill the ones that did this to her." Daiki commented shortly._

_"__I cannot comprehend the fact that there is someone who tried to ruin somebody else's future because of fane reason-nanodayo." Shintarou added. _

_ "__I'm angry." Tetsu, who rarely comments on anything and always keeping a straight face, now had a terrifying look on his face. His tone was harsh and cold that it could kill someone._

_Atsushi stayed by my side near the couch where he put me to sleep earlier, he mumbled to me, "Daijobu… Ore to kimi ga mamoru, Akari-chin…" then said to the other guys sitting by the table, "Korosudayo… Anyone who tried to do things to her again…"_

_Akashi reigns over the conversation again after glancing at my sleeping self. "Saa, I'll try to get more information, but I know of a certain someone __**in our school**__ who has been eyeing on Akari since the very first day she's here."_

_"__Dare?!" Daiki raises his voice._

_"__Sssshh Mine-chin…" Atsushi's hush calmed Daiki a little, and then he continued to pat my head._

_"__I'll keep an eye on her-ssu" _

_"__We all will do it, won't we, Akashi-kun?"_

_Akashi's lips curved upwards a bit, and said, "Yes Tetsuya, we all will. But I need you to find out about this person."_

_"__Boku ga?"_

_"__Yes you, you had the advantage that everybody here don't have. You're a shadow."_

_"__Hai."_

* * *

I woke up pretty late in the afternoon. I opened my eyes to see Akashi and Shintarou playing shogi on the desk, Ryouta and Daiki were playing my PS3, Tetsu was reading his book on a seat across my seat, and Atsushi was asleep, holding my hand. I said to them, "Ohayou."

Their heads turns in synchronization, and Atsushi woke up from his sleep. I had a _Maiubo_ on my hand, is it from Atsushi? I opened the _Maiubo _and split it in half. Shoving one on Atsushi's mouth while the other on my own. He hugged me and got up to find another stack of snack.

"Are you feeling better, Akari?" Shintarou asked.

"I'm better now! Let's go play basketball!"

"_Iya…_" Akashi answers me.

"_Nandeee_?" I muttered. "I ordered something and it should arrive soon, so we should wait for it. We can go later."

"_Ah so?_ Okay! Ummm…" I mumbled. "What's wrong Akari-_cchi_?" Ryouta asked.

"What are those?" I said, pointing at a stack of bags in the corner of my living room.

"What? That's our bag of course." Daiki answers.

"What bags?" I asked.

"I'm going to stay at Akari-_chin's _apartment for a while~ I wanna~ Can I? ~ I can _deshooo_?"

"All of us want to stay here, so, Akari, can we?" Daiki asks.

I grinned as wide as I can, "Of course you can! I'd love to have a lot of company here!" There's a lot of empty rooms here, 4 empty rooms, and 3 bathrooms. So I would love to have them here to fill it. They decided that they would occupy only 2 rooms, making one of it a small office for Akashi and Shintarou, and leaving the other one empty.

* * *

They smiled, "So, what did you order, Akashi?" I asked Akashi when the doorbell ring.

"I'll get that." Akashi said. Soon afterwards, there were workers putting new furniture, mostly beds. 4 new beds and 4 large set of sushi servings. After the worker were done with setting up the bedrooms, Akashi returns to the living room and said, "Let us eat, it is to celebrate our moving in."

"_Uwa!_ Akashi _sugoi! _I love sushi~" I said after Akashi sat down and join us.

"Glad you like it, Akari."

Thus, my days with the Generation of Miracles residing in my place started.

-chapter 7 end-

* * *

_The truth behind Akari's left hand is...? How was it? LOL_


	8. Just Like Old Times

*time skip to the next morning*

*beep beep*

I opened my eyes. It's already 5 a.m, and I decided to put on my basketball attire and also all of the band-aids and bandages on. _My injuries are mostly gone by now, the only thing that has been bothering me is this big bruise on my left elbow. _After tying up my hair into a ponytail, I go out my room and entered the kitchen. I saw the lights on the living room were on and decided to go there before entering the kitchen. There he was, Akashi Seijuurou, reading on a book, sitting on a couch, and then he notices me entering the room.

"Akari, is there something wrong? _Ah? _Are you going to the basketball field?"

"Nothing's wrong, Akashi. It's just that I saw the lights were on and decided to check the room. Did I bother you?"

"No you didn't." Akashi closed his book and told me to come closer, and I sit next to him on the couch.

"You don't have to call me Akashi like the others do. You can call me whatever you want."

My eyes widens by his words. I never thought Akashi; captain of the Teikou's basketball team, and also the 'leader' of Generation of Miracles would say that to me, a newcomer in his life. "Then, can I call you Sei?"

"_Hmph_. Sure, you can call me that. At least you didn't give my name weird additions like Ryouta does."

I smiled back to him. "I'll go with you to the field, let me wake the others first." As Akashi says that, he turns towards the bedrooms, but before that, he faced me, and holds my bandaged hand while saying, "You're not alone anymore, Akari. Rely on us. Rely on me."

I can feel a tear was going to break through of its cage, so I grinned; saying thank you to him while the tear fell. He wiped the tear off while smiling, then turns to the bedroom doors, knocking to wake the boys up. One by one, the guys started to scramble in to the living room. Seeing me all ready with my basketball kit, they brushed their teeth and got their kits out as we head out to the basketball field.

* * *

After the sun is up, we decided to go back to the apartment. "_Wuaaah_… _Harahettaaa~ Meshi meshi!_"

Daiki voiced out his thoughts just before Shintarou cuts him off, "All you can think about is food, Aomine? Anyways, that's a good game-_nanodayo_."

"_Hai! _That was a good game, wasn't it, Sei?" I asked Akashi how he felt on the game. My new nickname for Akashi left a huge impact on the other 5, "_Heeee? _'_Sei_"-_ssu_?"

"It was a great game, Akari." Akashi replied to me. "Ryouta, don't shout."

"Ah! Hai! _Gomen, _Akashi-_cchi!_"

We arrived at the apartment, seeing something that really widens my eyes. "_Are?_ LUKE-CHAN?!"

The six guys by my side turns to look at the blonde big guy standing in front of my apartment. "**Yo! Aka-chan! **_Hishashiburiiiii~ _**Do I sound like a Japanese already?**"Luke-chan ran up and hugged me, leaving me stunned yet extremely happy to see him here in Japan.

"Luke-chan! **I MISS YOU SO MUCH**. **What are you doing here, in Japan?!**" I jumped in on him to give him a big hug.

"**I got on a short-term holiday from coach, and I said that I want to go to Japan, to see you! Who are these guys here?**" He turns to my company and pointed to every single one of them.

"**Allow me to introduce ourselves, my name is Akashi Seijuurou. I'm the captain of the Teikou junior high school basketball club. These are my comrades-**"

"_Ano ne- _Luke-chan. **These are Shin-chan, Dai-chan, Ryou-chan, Acchan, and lastly Tetsu!**"

The others were just looking at us, wondering what we were conversing. After a while, I asked Luke-chan to speak Japanese so that they could understand what he's saying.

"Anoo~ _Etooooo~_ _Bo-bok-boku eeee… namaewa~ etoooo~ _**Luke Christopher Kirstein**, I'm a member of Masada Amaterasu-san's basketball team."

"I'm so glad you can speak Japanese-_ssu!_ _Ore, _Kise Ryouta! _Yoroshiku~_"

"_-ssu?_ Ah… **Nice to meet you! **Eh, _yoroshiku!_"

"_Ore_, Aomine Daiki." "Midorima Shintarou." "Murasakibara Atsushi-_desu_~"

Luke-chan said hello to the three of them, shaking their hands one by one. Luke chan is 197cm, and is the PG of Papa's team. He has shoulder length messy blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, _desu._"

"Huh?" Luke-chan looks around to find the owner of the voice he just heard. He looks to his left and right, wondering where did the voice came from. "I'm here."

Luke-chan looks below him, finding a blue-haired boy standing in front of him. "**WHOA! **How long have you been standing there?!"

"I've been here all along…" It's been a while to see a reaction like that to Tetsu's appearance.

"_Maji?!_ Ah… Sure… By the way Aka-chan, can we head inside?"

"Ah, _hai!_ Hold on!" I said as I opened the door to my apartment.

All of us go inside of the apartment while Tetsu closed the door. Shintarou went straight to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for all of us, and the other guys takes turn to take a bath, while Luke-chan and I, who took the bath first, chatted for a while in the living room along with Akashi who also finished his bathing routine.

"So, Aka-chan, what are these guys doing in your apartment?"

"Ah! You see Luke-chan; they're staying here too! It feels great having people you can chat with, besides, the house feels really empty when I'm alone."

"**What**?! Aka-chan, you're a girl, and they're guys! What were you thinking?"

"_Ma, ma, _Luke-chan, they're cool! I like hanging around with them. Further more, I have comrades to play basketball so early in the morning!"

Shintarou called us to the dining room after saying that breakfast is ready. It was a big feast with sunny side up eggs, fried rice, and a couple more side dishes, to top it off, he even prepared some lemon squash for us to enjoy. In the middle of the feast, Luke-chan asked me, "So, how's basketball, Aka-chan?"

I munched down on my food, then turns to him who's sitting on the other end of the table, taking the position opposite of Akashi, and said, "Basketball's good, Luke-chan! I'm joining Teikou's basketball club now, I've even become their starter!"

"Is that so? How's your teammates? Are the girls being nice to you?"

"Hmm… Yeah! My teammates are being great to me!" I said while grinning, looking at everyone in the dining room, who smiled back to what I said, "Well, there's no girls' basketball club at Teikou, so I joined the guys' basketball team instead after receiving permission from the coach and the whole first string."

"WHAT?! You joined the guys' basketball team?!" Luke-chan repeated what I said which I only nod to it. "Well… You were always playing with us too, but I didn't think that you would actually join a basketball team full of guys!"

"I'm not losing to them though! Look at these guns I have!"

"That's the spirit, Akari!" Daiki slipped a few words before returning to his food.

Luke-chan smiled, but then directed his eyes from my 'guns', to the injury I have on my elbow. "What's this, Aka-chan?"

"I got it from a practice match we had almost a week ago. It's not that bad, it'd go away in a few more days." I said calmly.

"No, Aka-chan… That's not my point! You're hurt! What were the game like?!"

Akashi pretty much explained how the game with Kirisaki Dai'ichi went, leaving Luke-chan and his now scary face abandoning his food, and said to me, "You should leave the team, Aka-chan."

I dropped my chopsticks as I voiced my disagreement, "NO!"

"You joining the guys' basketball team is already something I wouldn't think of, further more, there's people who are aiming on your left hand! What the hell- I can't just let you go off to these kinds of matches!"

"Luke-chan, I asked to be played back then, and my body is my responsibility entirely! You shouldn't blame them on something I decided by myself! That's it; I'm going to my room. Thanks for the food."

* * *

After my leave, the guys downstairs started talking again.

"_Ano… Gomennasai-ssu!_" Ryouta spoke up, "I'm at fault for not being able to protect Akari-_cchi_. I'm sorry."

Luke-chan looks up to the puppy faced Ryouta, still in a state of unable to answer to his apology.

"I was worried for Akari-_chin_ too~ But I weren't able to stop her from going to the game again. _Gomen ne._" Atsushi continues.

"We made them pay for it, right? And we made sure to not let them do that to Akari again." Daiki who finished his food joins the conversation.

"Akari… She's a terrific shooter-_nanodayo_, and not to mention a great player herself. For her to be able to go back to the game even after getting such treatment is admirable-_nanodayo_." Shintarou drops his _Tsundere-ness_and answers to Luke-chan too.

"_Sumimasen_, I wasn't strong enough." Tetsu adds.

"I apologies for our incompetence of keeping her safe. But she loves the game too much to be bothered by such a treatment. That is the reason she is able to stand on the same court as us. She is an important member of Teikou junior high school's basketball team, and we are proud and blessed to have her on the team. We would not allow such thing to happen again in the future, you can be sure of that."

Akashi leaves Luke-chan at loss because of the short speech. _What a good team you have here, Aka-chan. Am I worrying over nothing here?_ "Ah… sorry for being a jerk like before. I deeply cares about Aka-chan since she's the youngest member of my team too."

"She was on _your _team-_ssu_?!"

"Well, she didn't actually play on official matches, but, yeah, she was. I guess I'll be leaving her in your care too from now on. But, the guys that did this to her, _korosu._"

"Yes, you can leave her in our care with ease." Akashi answers, leaving a huge sigh out of Luke-chan's mouth.

"Oi, Akari! Come here!" Daiki shouts to me, I answered a quick _hai_ and went out of my room, rejoining the guys who are now lounging in the living room.

"Aka-chan, I'm sorry about before…"

"Don't be, Luke-chan, I know you're worried, and I was just being selfish without listening to your reasoning."

"**Say, why don't we play some basketball?**"

Daiki asks me what was it that Luke-chan was saying, intrigued by the fact that he heard the word that sounds like '**basketball**' coming out. Then I said to him, "Basketball, Dai-chan. He asks us whether we wanted to play basketball with him."

"I'll go!" Daiki shots up from the plushie he was sitting on. Along with Shintarou, Ryouta, and Tetsu who also wanted to play basketball. Atsushi was feeling a bit tired after the game from this morning, so he decides to stay home and finish his snacks while Akashi said that he have a meeting to attend to.

* * *

The six of us head to the basketball park we went to this morning, finding the court to be filled by people. Sighing, we decide to wait for our turn and played in the swing-set not far from the court. Then, we saw a group of people, pushing their way into the court, saying that they will play the team on court, betting the ownership of the court for the rest of the day. Seeing the 3-on-3 match going on the court, we decides to watch it, leaving us disappointed with the unfair plays from the challenger.

I went inside the court and said, "It's not fair basketball-_desu_." Pointing my ball to the challenger, I voiced my concern of their unfair play. "UWAH! WHAT IS SHE DOING THERE?" Daiki screamed at the group when he saw me in the court.

"Akari-_cchiiiiii~_" Ryouta whined.

"_Baka ga-nanodayo._"

"Aka-chan, that's so you…" Luke-chan said while holding in his laughs. "_Sa te, _should I join her or not… I wonder?"

"What are you talking about-_nanodayo_?"

"Isn't she… going to be crushed by those 5 thugs?" Daiki voiced his concern.

"Maybe it's the opposite of that…" Tetsu appears beside Daiki. "UWAH TETS-"

"Aka-chan would probably destroy them. Well… The _old her_ would just crush them instantly."

"Hey now _ojou-chan_, what are you doing in the court? Girls should just go play dolls inside the house. The sunlight's bad for your skin you know?" One of the thugs said to me.

"Don't worry, I don't play house games." I said.

"Is that her favorite line-_nanodayo_?"

"Yeah, Aka-chan tends to barge into games like this back in USA, leaving the opposing team broken and defeated afterwards, all by herself."

"She must be lonely…" Tetsu spoke up.

Realizing this, the group went into the court, sitting down at the sides, while Luke-chan goes inside the court after saying "The two of us would be enough, you guys sit back and enjoy the game. Albeit won't be lasted long."

"Aka-chan~ Can I play too?"

Staring at the blonde giant the thugs slightly drawn backwards, leaving a grin on my face, "It'll be like old times, Luke-chan!"

* * *

"Two against five is okay, you know. You need all the _manpower_ you have anyways."

"You should learn to put your mouth shut, missy!"

The game starts with my team on the ball, Luke-chan being the playmaker. I readied myself on the three-point line, receiving the pass from Luke-chan, which I shoot immediately. Soon after, the opposing team gets hold of the ball, trying to lay-upped it, which was blocked with Luke-chan smooth move, leaving me with the ball which makes it to another basket for us. The game was pretty much one-sided, 80 points to none. It's our ball again as I passed an alley-up to Luke-chan.

"So this is the basketball she plays back in the States…" Daiki was amazed at the fluid play from both Luke-chan and me.

"Her movement's different-_nanodayo_."

"Akari-_cchi_ _sugooooooi~_"

"It may be because they have played together for so long." Tetsuya adds.

"I want to plaaaaay!" Daiki complains as I made the last shot, the guys on the opposing team was starting to feel the exhaust but still hold their pride high and went on with the game.

One of them realized my bandaged hand and tried to punch it when- "_Neeee_~ Tell me… what are you doing?" That voice… "Acchan?" Atsushi grabbed the hand of the person who tried to punch my left hand, lifting him hanging in the air. His face paled, being lifted by a 2-meter guy, who wouldn't?

"Murasaki-_cchi_?!"

The faces of his teammates dropped, saying they're sorry and dashed out of the court. "I was bored at home, and there were no one else to play with, so I decided to come here~"

"Acchan, _arigatou…_" I said to Atsushi, who's offering me one of his _Maiubo_.

Luke-chan smiled at Atsushi's gesture, and said to the rest of the gang, "Now then, shall we play?"

We asked the guys who was on the court before to come play with us, ending the day playing the basketball until dark. 

-chapter 8 end-

* * *

So, again, the **bold text** means that they are talking in English..

_The Generation of Miracles went and decided to stay with Akari, Luke cames to town and confronts the six guys, and **just like old times basketball with Luke**. Next up?  
WHAT DO **YOU** WANT TO SEE NEXT? _


	9. Kobayashi

"_Ne_, Aka-chan…" Luke-chan said to me while arranging a futon on my bedroom's floor, "I'm really glad you found those guys."

I smiled to him, "Yeah, I'm glad too… _Saikyo no teammates_."

"The best, huh? What about me, then?"

"Well, you're definitely the best _onii-chan_ I could ever ask for."

"_Uwah _I'm happy Aka-chan~"

Just like that, we ended the day with the two of us falling asleep after catching up for the one year we lost.

*downstairs*

"This Luke guy is really good in basketball, right?" Daiki said while grabbing one of the milk cartons in the fridge.

"Yeah-_ssu_! He's really good! And the way Akari-_cchi_ played withLuke-_cchi_ was so fluid, I can see waters-_ssu_."

"Her shots are becoming more accurate when he's the one that is passing to her-_nanodayo_." Shintarou was polishing some of his lucky items on the table; one of them is a raccoon statue, and a smaller size of it that he's planning to give to me tomorrow morning.

"That is true. There may be something that we don't know about her skill, I think she haven't showed us her 100 percent yet, maybe because she just joined us, it'll work out in time. In the meantime…" Akashi grabbed one _Maiubo _box lying next to him and stretched his hand out to Atsushi "… here's another box, Atsushi. Afterwards, let's go to bed, we have school tomorrow."

"_Arigatou_, Aka-_chin_~ _Haaaaaai~ _"

"… do you think Akari-san 'likes' Luke?" Tetsu suddenly said.

"?!"

* * *

*time skips to 3 days after*

*beep beep*

My alarm beats be to waking up again. I rolled over to shut down the alarm that was on the other side of the bed. I got out of the bed, stumping over Luke-chan's sleeping body, "_Oof!_ Sorry, Luke-chan!" and went to the bathroom after taking out the kit I need to go to school. After I get dressed, I knocked on Ryouta's room, and opened the door, seeing three figures sleeping around with different styles. I skipped Tetsu's bed seeing how peacefully he was sleeping below his blanket. Then I saw Daiki sleeping across Tetsu, _Wuah, what a wild way to sleep_. His blanket was totally blown and his body is in a strange pose. Never mind that, I continued to Ryouta's bed to see him sleep, I shook on Ryouta's body, asking him to wake up and being careful not to wake up Daiki and Tetsu. "_Uunh… Akari… -cchi_?"

"Wake up, Ryou-chan… _Uh!_ Wait- !"

Ryouta long hands grabbed my sides pulled me on to his bed. I feel my cheeks flush a bit when I realize he's hugging me in his bed, replacing the pillow he hugged. "Ryou- Ryouta!"

He opened his eyes and it was shot up, confused on how and why he's hugging me. "AKARI-CCHI?! Why… What… Ho-" I slammed his mouth shut, making sure he doesn't wake Daiki and Tetsu. Putting one finger in front of my own mouth, I hushed him. After he calmed down, I grabbed his hand, pulling him outside of the room and to the living room.

* * *

"Ryou-chan why do you have to scream?"

"Ah… Uh…. _Gomen ne_ Akari-_cchi_. I was confused and aaaahhhh… And I didn't mean to make you scared or something like that-_ssu_. I just had a dream about…" Ryouta stare at me for a while, keeping me wondering of what his dream looks like.

"Ryou-chan?"

My calling to him made him startled and was quickly answered by "Ah, it's nothing!" as he turns his head around to hide his pinkish cheeks. "So, why are you dressed to go to school so early in the morning? I thought you wanted to play basketball first?"

I turned my head down and said "Ryou-chan, I- I wanted to go somewhere, could you come with me?"

"Huh? Really? I can come with yo- rather, you want me to go with you-_ssu_?"

"Ye-yeah… Would you come with me?"

"Yeah! Yeah of course-_ssu_! Let me get my school kit ready first-_ssu_!"

He runs off to his room to prepare, while I left a note to the other guys that I'll be leaving first with Ryouta, and that they should go to school without waiting for the two of us to come back.

* * *

_Uwah, is this for real? First I had that dream about Akari-cchi cuddling with me, and that I woke up holding her and Akari-cchi just asked me to come with her. If this is still a dream, please don't let me wake up! Wua~ I'm excited! Kamisama, arigato~_

"Akari-_cchi_ I'm ready! Should we head out?" Ryouta said to me after closing the door to his room, which I answered by walking towards the front door and taking out my grey and pink Nike shoes, putting them on and opened the front door. Ryouta followed me swiftly as he grabbed my hand after closing the door, leading me towards the elevator we're using to go down.

We head out of the elevator and started following the road that my feet remember automatically. Ryouta seems to have notice that I am carrying a big brown paper bag by my side and asked, "_Ne, _Akari-_cchi_, what's in the bag-_ssu_? Where are we going-_ssu_? Why are you looking down-_ssu_?"

I paid attention to what he's talking about and hold on to the bag he's talking about up in front of my chest, "_Ma, ma,_ Ryou-chan, calm down. Its just flowers, roses, to be exact. We're going to see a special place of mine."

"Then, can I carry your bag, Akari-_cchi_? It looks heavy and I wanted to be cool in front of you-_ssu_."

I laughed at his response and gave him the paper bag as we managed to get to the place I mentioned to Ryouta. "_Ne, _Akari-_cchi_? Is this really the place?"

I turned my head to Ryouta, who's confused at the place that I'm showing him. "Yes, Ryou-chan, this it the place."

"But it's… A cemetery-_ssu_."

"It's special. It's where _they're_ sleeping."

"They?"

* * *

We went up to the top of the cemetery that was built on a hill. There, on a hill overlooking the sea there was one only one pedestal, named 'Kobayashi'. There lies the pedestal for three people I looked up to, Uncle Hayama, aunt Chiisa, and Sena. I told Ryouta that they're the parents and sibling of Chiza, which made Ryouta startled and asked me what am I doing there.

"Ryou-chan, uncle Hayama and aunt Chiisa was the best people around me when I am still in elementary. While Sena-_niisan_ was what made basketball… come to life… Back then though. They died in a car accident while trying to get to my basketball match, taking Chiza with them. Chiza survives, but her family doesn't. Their ashes were brought here to Japan from the States so that they could reside here. Chiza said that I stole her family from her, making her miserable, making her alone, yet still outranking her in basketball."

I told Ryouta the whole story of Chiza, "Akari-_cchi_…" Ryouta hugs me and he gave me the flowers meant for the Kobayashi grave. I put the roses in front of the pedestal, saying my prayers to the people that I loved, and said to Ryouta "Thanks for coming with me Ryou-chan."

"It's no problem Akari-_cchi_, I'm happy that you pick me to come with you rather than the other guys." Ryouta continues his hug to me.

"I'm just sad that Chiza hates me. I-"

"That's right, Akari. I hate you very much."

* * *

Ryouta and I heard a voice coming from the direction we came from earlier and we saw a figure walks closer. The rising sun is beginning to reveal its identity. My feet shuddered from the revealed figure and Ryouta leans closer to me as I can't feel my legs anymore. "Akari-_cchi_!" Ryouta held me up as I'm beginning to lose the strength in my legs.

"Why are you here…"

Ryouta were confused of the way I'm acting, "Who are you?"

"Me?" The girl walks closer towards Ryouta and me, holding a rose bouquet in one hand. "My name is Kobayashi, Shizuka."

-chapter 9 end-

* * *

_**She** finally comes forth, what do you think would happen next?_


	10. Change

"It's not so nice to see you here Akari, are you repenting on your sins to my **dead** family? You have no single right to be here! Go away! You're a disgrace!"

Chiza shots up and shoved Ryouta and me away from her family's pedestal. She turns to the grave and picked up the rose I left and threw it to the ocean, replacing it with her own.

I cannot speak a word to her, my body froze and my voice betrays me, all that's left for me to do is to look while Ryouta exchanges words with her. "Why did you do that?" His voice was slightly lower than usual. He loses the childishness in his voice and looks seriously towards Chiza.

"Why, you said? Well obviously, my family won't accept flowers from **her**. In fact, I'm doing them a favor in removing the trash that is in front of their house. Who is this blonde person, Akari, your boyfriend? Whooo~ you scored with him in a club? He's a stud; I'll give you that. Did she offer you her body in exchange for you being her boyfriend? I despise you, Akari. You will pay for what you did to us."

Ryouta's face darkens, "Wha-? Don't say bad things to he-" I tugged on Ryouta's shirt, stopping him from saying another word at Chiza.

* * *

"You should go now, Akari. I will not make an argument here with you, or would you want _that_ day to happen again? I'll step it up a little and give you more, maybe worse…"

Ryouta picked me up in princess style and bowed towards the grave, afterwards, he walked towards the entrance of the grave, not saying a single word in response to Chiza's speech. We walked towards the school, it's getting closer to the first bell and we didn't want to be late for it. Ryouta never lets me down from his hands and I was still shivering over the sight of Chiza earlier. I can feel some eyes on both Ryouta and I as we pass through the crowds of Teikou students. Female students were saying bad things about me, which I didn't response to. I don't know whether Ryouta can hear his fan girls' snickering on us, but he walked straight.

Arriving in front of the shoe locker, he asked me, "Akari-_cchi_, do you feel better now?

"Huh? Ah, yeah, Kise… Thank you for taking me."

"H…uh?" I walked past Ryouta, towards my classroom. There, I sat down on my chair, staying silent and trying to get my mind on the studies and lectures from the teachers, but I just can't get my mind right.

*lunch time*

"…and that's what happened-_ssu._" Ryouta explains the things that happened earlier this morning to the rest of the gang. "Akari-_cchi_ called me Kise…"

"I will go to her-_nanodayo_."

"Wait, Midorima, I'll come too, I bet she didn't have her lunch yet."

Shintarou and Daiki got up from their perspective seats and heads towards my classroom.

"Kobayashi Shizuka. Ryouta, you should eat your lunch if not, then you'll not have the nutrients needed for your daily activities." Akashi muttered to Ryouta, and got a silent 'hm' in response.

* * *

"…ri… Akari… Oi!" I can feel a hand shoving on my shoulders. I turned around to see Daiki and Shintarou there.

"Oh, Aomine and Midorima, is there anything that you need?"

They were both stunned by the way I called their name, and also my tone… It was harsh and cold, as if I was trying to cut off the relationship that we share. "Akari, here's a melon bread for you-_nanodayo_."

"Uh, yeah… and this sports drink is for you too, Akari." Daiki and Shintarou grabbed a chair to sit next to me and keep me companied to eat my lunch.

"_Ah so, _thanks…" I opened the plastic wrapper of the bread, stuffing my mouth with a small part of it.

Shintarou and Daiki stared at me without me noticing, saying nothing as they watch me eating the food they provided. I didn't turn my gaze up to the two men who are eyeing me, and also giving zero attention to my classmates whispering about Shintarou and Daiki coming to an underclassmen's class. I put my half eaten bread down and gulped down on the sports drink a bit when Daiki whispers silently to me, "Akari… Is there something wrong? You're not finishing your food."

"I'm not hungry, Aomine. If you two have no further appointment with me, could you leave the class, thanks."

This definitely had a harsh impact on the two of them, but they were not angered by it and just got up from their seats and said their goodbyes and see you later in practice. _Practice, huh?_ I really don't feel like coming to the practice today.

*time skips to after school*

Atsushi bows his head a little to get in to 1-B, my classroom. He patted my head and said "Akari-_chin~_ Let's go to practice together."

"Murasakibara… I feel a bit sick and I don't feel like practicing right now, so I'll pass."

Atsushi surely didn't accept my behavior, "Akari-_chin_… I'm really sad, you know. But I can't allow you to skip practice, so…" Atsushi didn't say another word as he carried my bags and I to the gym, where the basketball practice is being held.

"Murasakibara, please put me down." I said coldly.

"Akari-san, are you okay?" Tetsu appears, as he was looking towards me, concerned about me.

"Kuroko?! Where did you come from?!"

"…"

Silence. It was all Tetsu gave in response to me unnoticing him until he spoke and appears beside me. We arrive at the gym, where Atsushi was given directions by Akashi to go straight to the dressing room.

*in the dressing room*

After being put down by Atsushi to sit on a chair, I looked around the room, finding everyone residing in my apartment there, locking their gaze on the _weird_ me.

"**Why did you ****_summon _****me here, Akashi?**" I looked straight towards Akashi and said the words in the exact cold ways I used on the rest of the gang.

"Akari…" I locked my gaze on him as he lowers his eyes a little, approaching me, while saying, "… I already said, that you are not alone anymore. All of us are here, and we will pro-"

* * *

"**NO!**" I screamed at him, causing him to stop his talk. My hands shudder a little as I try to get the words to sound as harsh as possible, "-I am not… I'm never going to allow you- no, all of you, into my life!"

"Stop this foolish thought, Akari. Do you not believe a word I said?" Akashi went closer to me, "**You are not alone. You are never going to be alone again.**"

_Oh no… Kami, please give me the strength to keep my tears from falling. I don't want to drag them into this hell of mine. They'll get hurt, or worse… They might not be able to play basketball again. I don't want that. What should I do, Kami? _

After a short silence hanging in the air, I decided to open my mouth, "Sei…" that was the only word I can muster. With that one word, the faces of all the guys in the room lit up. Ryouta moves closer towards me and holds my left hand, snuggling his face on it.

"Akari-_cchi_… We're here for you." _Oh Ryou-chan…_ I can feel tears starting to fill up my eyes.

Atsushi hugs me from the back, "Akari-_chin_… It will all be okay."

Shintarou 'shoots' today's item of the day to my lap, making me smile when I can no longer keep the tears from spilling. I can see Tetsu smiling beside Shintarou, and Daiki grins, "I'll kill them y'know Akari! The ones trying to hurt you."

It was then, I put down my guard on myself that said _you shouldn't let anyone, __**anyone**__, get near you, they'll get hurt, they'll suffer, _and broke down to tears. Akashi smiled and wiped the tears with his hand, grabbing on to my face, saying, "**Trust us, Akari Amaterasu**."

* * *

"…Sei, Ryou-chan, Dai-chan, Shin-chan, Acchan, Tetsu… _Arigato…_" I let my tears take control of me and the comfort of these six wonderful guys lift me up from my downfall._ We got our girl back_, they smiled.

"By the way, Akari-_cchi_, when is your birthday?"

"Huh?" I wiped my tears off to answer Ryouta's question.

"It's July 1st…"

"July 1st…? THAT'S TOMORROW!"

"Ah… I guess so…" I just forgot about my own birthday, come to think of it, I never told them anything about my life aside from the Chiza incident, haven't I?

"I guess I forgot about it."

"Don't give me that! You just forgot your own birthday Akari!" Daiki shouted at me.

In the midst of argument, Akashi were holding on his chin, he's thinking about something and not letting the noises Daiki made bother him and his brain.

-chapter 10 end-

* * *

Once again, the **bold text** means that they are talking in English..

_Akari's birthday is covered on the next chapter! Don't you wonder what the guys would give to her? What do you think they'd give? _


	11. (0701) part 1

**Writer: Hello, minna! How do you like the story so far? Please do give us reviews and don't forget to ****_follow_**** and ****_favorite_**** the story!**

**Akari: ****_Hi hi! _****Akari ****_deeesu!_**** Today is my birthday! It's the same with writer-san's birthday, _July 1__st__ !_**

**Akashi: Akari, happy birthday... *offering birthday gift***

**Akari: _Anooo, _Sei, you don't have to give me so much you know~**

**Akashi: Writer-san _mo,_ _otanjoubi omedeto..._**

**Aomine: Congrats... *yawn***

**Writer: Akashi-kun, Aomine-kun, _arigato~_ _Te, _Aomine-kun stop yawning!**

**Aomine: Anyway, enjoy the story!**

* * *

_July 1__st__ 2014_

*ring ring*

_Ugh, so noisy, whose calling me in the middle of the night anyway?_ I took a glance towards my alarm clock, it's 3.45 a.m. I picked my phone to see the caller ID and it stated 'Home'. _Huh? Whose calling me? _

"Hello?"

"**AKA-CHAN HAPPY BIRTHDAY!**"

"**Ma-Mama? Ah~ It's the 1****st**** of July already? Whoa time flies fast! How are you?**"

"**We're missing you Aka-chan! We're doing well, how's school? How's basketball? Have you found a boyfriend yet?**"

"**Wha- wait Mama, you're talking too fast…"**

I missed my parents, Mama's high voice, her unusual laugh, and the intensity of her talks is just, mesmerizing.

"**Aka-chan? It's Papa! How are you? Is Luke there with you?**"

"**Papa!** _Aittakattaaaaaaa~_ **I miss you, Papa! How are things in the States? Yeah, Luke-chan's sleeping at the moment, it's 3 in the morning, what do you expect?**"

"**HAHAHA I'm sorry, Aka-chan, it's just that I missed you so much I had to hear your voice as soon as possible, didn't realize it's 3 a.m. there though, **_gomen-ne_~"

Papa's voice is as husky as always, I liked his carefree laugh. We chatted for a while, catching the last few months I've been through without them by my side. I told them everything about my stay in Japan. How I got into Teikou's basketball team, how I met coach Shirogane and that they're acquaintances with him, how I got six wonderful guys to back me up, how's my life in general.

"**Well then Aka-chan, I'm happy you're doing well there, we'll visit you as soon as possible, just don't push yourself too hard."**

**"****And happy birthday to you, our brightest star!"**

**"****Mama, papa, I really miss you, thank you for the wishes! I'll do my best here!"**

* * *

It's 4.30 a.m. and I don't think that sleeping again would be a good idea. I walked out of my room and to the kitchen to grab water. The stairs creaked a little when I stepped on them, and I remembered that the guys would still be sleeping, so I took the care of walking as slow as possible, avoiding making the creak worse.

_No one's awake, I guess._ I sighed and went straight to the kitchen. I opened the fridge and took out the water bottle. _Ah~ cold water is definitely the best in summer. _

"Akari?"

I looked towards the direction of the voice, finding one Akashi Seijuurou walking towards the kitchen in his sleeping attire. "Sei? Were you awakened by the stair's sound?"

"No, I've been awake for a while now, I guessed that you would come to the kitchen at these hours." He walks closer to me, taking my hand and pulled me to the living room.

"Hm? You guessed that I'd come down?"

"Yeah, I was waiting for you…" He took out a small box from his pocket. It's a small red rectangular box tied with pink ribbons. "Here…"

"For me?"

"Yeah, for you… Open it."

I opened the box on his command, finding a gold necklace in the shape of the kanji that I didn't really understand. "So pretty…"

Akashi smiled at my response and grabbed the necklace out of the box. He turned me around and told me to hold my hair up so that he could put the necklace on me. When it's done, he turns me back around again and put his finger against the necklace, pressing it to my skin, "Do you know what the letter means, Akari?"

"No I don't, Sei, what does it mean?"

"It's 'Aka' [ 赤 ], meaning, Red. Just as my name is Akashi, and I know that your name spelling is not the same as this, but it reads in the same way. This way, Akari, you'll be able to remember that I'm always with you, no matter what." He puts away his finger and grabbed me closer to his body, melting me in his warm hug, "Happy Birthday, Aka-ri."

Akashi's warm body makes me want to cry, he is so sweet. I let a single drop of tear and returned his hug, "Thank you Aka-shi, Sei…"

He lets go of me after a while, turning around, his back was all I can see, he grabbed on his face, "Anything for you, Akari." He walks to the kitchen to find himself a glass of water, then said 'see you later' to me before returning to his bedroom. _Was he blushing?_ I thought to myself after I see a hint of pink on his face. I blushed back to the thought of it. _What am I thinking, me?! _I walked back to my bedroom to change my clothes to my basketball kit. Before wards, I was looking at my reflection on the mirror and the sight of the gold necklace around my necklace. I smiled to it, holding it in my hands. _Thank you, Sei…_

* * *

I returned downstairs to grab my water bottle when I bumped into Daiki who's going to the bathroom.

"_Uwah, _Akari?!"

"Dai-chan?"

"I thought I woke up before you, so I wanted to wake you up after I'm all geared up for this morning's basketball routine."

"Dai-chan you're so cute. I'll wait for you, let's go together!"

"C-cu-cute…? S-sure, wait at the front…"

As he walks to the bathroom, he forgot to open the door, causing him to smack head first to the door. "Shit! What the hell, door?!" He felt his cheeks flushed and rush inside the bathroom. _What the hell, she called me 'cute', _he thoughts to himself while looking at the mirror. Moments later, he's all ready with a backpack on him, "Ready to go, Akari?"

"Yeah, let's go, Dai-chan!"

I grabbed his arm and rushed towards the basketball court to get a 1-on-1 session with Daiki. We played until the sun goes up, tired but satisfied. "Whoa, your moves were just fluid, Dai-chan."

He grinned as he finished a sip from his water bottle, "Yeah? Maybe that's because I'm playing with you, Akari."

"Really? I'm happy! I'm glad I played with you too." Daiki turns his face down and turned to his bag. What I didn't know was that Daiki was blushing hard at the moment, and was trying his best to keep himself calm. He took something out of the backpack, a soft present, wrapped in blue crumpled papers and a pink ribbon to tie it together. "For you."

"Huh?" I said, looking at the package Daiki is giving me. Daiki is looking the other way, while my eyes were glittering towards the package in Daiki's hands. "Thank you, Dai-chan…"

"Open it."

"Uh huh, okay. Just a moment."

I opened the ribbon and the wrapper to find a soft pink hand towel and a blue hand band. "Dai-chan… These…"

"I'm not good at picking presents, but I want you to know that that hand towel… you can use it for anything, wiping your tears, your sweat. I'll be there to wipe your tears too, but… Ye-yeah, and that hand band… You can use it on your arm, I'll also be your arm that punches everyone and everything that tries to hurt you so that yours won't be dirtied, and I'll be your arm to score points whether you can't do it. I'm with you."

"Dai-chan…" I shook my head and then turn it downwards towards my thighs and the presents Daiki gave to me. "These are the best, Dai-chan. Thank you very much…"

I can feel the tears rushing towards my eyes when Daiki grabbed the towel he gave me and brushed it against my cheeks. "See, I'm here. Happy birthday, Akari."

I leaned closer to him, hugging him while the tears in my eyes forced their way out. He blushed at the sight of it yet he returns the hug to me, keeping me calm with the strokes of his hand on my back. Daiki, you're the best, _thank you_…

* * *

**Writer: Hai hai, the first part of Akari's birthday is done! Oh, and the speech in bold means that they are talking in ENGLISH!**

**Akari: Sei was so sweet! He waited for me to come down when he didn't know whether I'll come down or not~ And DAIKI! His ever so cute childish moments when he said he'd be there for me, I'm really grateful for them, *starting to tear up***

**Akashi: *wiping Akari's tears***

**Aomine: Don't cry, Akari!**

**Writer: *nosebleed***

**What do you think about Akari's birthday so far? Please review! :D:D:D **

**I'll be waiting~**


	12. (0701) part 2

**Writer: Soooo, it's the continuation of your birthday, Aka-chan~**

**Akari: _Hai!_ Thank you for the hard work, writer-san!**

**Kise: Is it my turn yet, writer-_cchi_?**

**Writer: No, Kise-kun, your session will come later.**

**Kise: _HIDOIYOOOOSSU!_ So mean, writer-_cchi_! I want my air-time-_ssu!_**

**Akari: ANYWAY, enjoy the second part of the story!**

* * *

I just got out from the bathroom after returning from the basketball field, putting on my summer uniform when someone opened the bathroom door, "_Uwah! _Shin-chan?!"

His face and mine went red as a beet, "Akari?!" *bam* he closed the door and went to the living room. _Gosh, what did he see? _I quickly dress up and leave the bathroom to go to the living room, joining Shintarou there who are still standing, looking at the scenery from the window.

"Shin-chan?"

He turns around and I can still see the pink on his face. His eyes turn to my left hand that I didn't bandage yet and moves closer to me. "Akari, I'm sorry for earlier…" He lifted my left hand carefully as he pulled something out from his pocket. "Let me do the bandages for you-_nanodayo_." He said.

"It's okay Shin-chan, I can do it myself."

"No, I'll do it…" Shintarou and I sit down on the couch as he carefully examines my scars, gently putting green band-aids on each and every single one of them. "Shin-chan…" He continues to put more bandages on my hand, "I can't give you something special, Akari. But I promise you here and now that I will always be here to hold on your hand, shoot on behalf of you, fix your bandages like this-_nanodayo_. I may not be everything you need, but you should know that I am here-_nanodayo_… For you-_nanodayo_."

I can feel his gentle touch on my hand, "Happy birthday, Akari." I couldn't stop my tears any longer; I can't reply Shintarou's words when my tears are getting in the way, "S-Shi-Shin-"

"It's okay, don't cry, Akari." Shintarou patted my back while his left hand is busy wiping the tears off of my face. I rested myself against him, who dropped his usual tsundere-ness while having such a red face he intended to hide from me. _Thank you, Shintarou_.

* * *

I dried my tears when Shintarou left the living room to prepare for his school things, after leaving my lucky item of the day mentioned in Oha-Asa this morning. After bidding another thanks to him, I turned to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water when I feel a hug from a huge person, Atsushi?

"Acchan?"

"Ohayou~ Akari-_chin_, what are you doing?"

"Good morning, Acchan, I just grabbed a bottle of water. Do you want some snack?"

"_Haaaai~ Onegai~ Are?_" Atsushi watched as I turned my face to grab a _Maiubo_ box from a shelf, when he grabbed my hand and turned me to face him. "What happened Akari-_chin_? Did someone hurt you? _Dareee?_"

I can feel his grip tightens and that his sleepy eyes are now piercing me. "Accha- Atsushi! I'm okay!" His eyes are telling me that he doesn't believe a single thing I said. He was a bit drawn back because I called him by his full first name, and I changed the subject, "Let's go to school, shall we, Acchan?"

"Mmm… Let's go then…"

* * *

We head out from the apartment and head towards Teikou side by side. Eating a couple of _Maiubo_ along the way. We got on a train towards Teikou; it was a rush hour, I must say, the train was packed with people. Atsushi and I got in, but were separated from each other because of the flow. It's not hard to find Atsushi because of his height, but he's really hard to reach. "Acchan…"

A few stops afterwards, I can feel hands on my body. I moved towards the train doors, but the hands kept me from moving. I became restless, I used my own hand to get the hand away from myself, but it's quite useless. "Acchan…" I kept on looking towards Atsushi who's trying to make his way to me. _Ugh, that's it, I'm sick of this person trying to harass me in the train. _I turned my eyes from Atsushi to the hand on me, putting it closer to me and whispered to the owner, "_Do you really want to die?_" I tried to say it in such evil manner as possible.

"What?! What are you talking about?!"

"_You better let go of my body, or you would really die…_"

"Don't kid with me, little gir-"

Before he finishes talking, I can feel a larger hand enveloping my body, pulling me away from the molester. "_So… Tell me, what are you doing?_"

I can see Atsushi talking to the man who was touching my body. His voice was cold; his eyes were emitting a killing intent towards him. The man fled when the train stopped in the next station. Atsushi turns his gaze to me and asked, "Akari-_chin_, are you okay?"

I nodded to his question, and he comforts me by patting on my head. We got out of the train and head to Teikou right away.

*time skips to after class*

"Akari-_chin_~ _Hora yo_~" Atsushi pops out to my class and gave me a huge teddy bear for me. "Acchan? What is this?"

"_Otanjyoubi Oumedeto_~"

_My birthday present? _The bear he gave me is bigger than I am and it's sitting on my desk. I can see people staring at Atsushi, eating his _Maiubo_ and the huge bear he gave me. I patted the teddy bear, "_Uwah_, so soft! Acchan, thank you so much, I love this!"

"I'm glad you like it Akari-_chin_~ _Saaa_, let's go practice~"

"_Chotto matte, Acchan!_"

"_Are_? You can't walk when you can't see the road, Akari-_chin_, I'll hold it for you."

"Ah, thanks Acchan!" I said as he grabs hold of the giant teddy bear, holding it to his side, while holding white plastic bag on another. "Acchan…"

"Hm?" He looks to me when I grabbed a _Maiubo _from inside his plastic bag, opening it and offering it to him. "For me?"

"Yes, for you Acchan, you might have problem to eat this when you're holding the bear, right? I'll be your hand."

Atsushi accepts my offer and eat the _Maiubo_ from my hand, bowing slightly to reach it. I no longer care about the eyes of the passerby, and continue feeding him. Laughing on the way to the first string gym. _Seriously, Atsushi, thank you for this._

* * *

**Murasakibara: Writer-_chin_, I want my _Maiubo~_**

**Writer: *throws _Maiubo_ to Murasakibara***

**Midorima: You can be a fair three-pointer, writer-_nanodayo_. Not that I care-_nanodayo_.**

**Writer: Shin-chan you're such a _tsun-tsun~_**

**Akari: Acchan, Shin-chan, _arigato ne?_**

**Murasakibara & Midorima: It's my pleasure**

**NEXT UP IS~**

**Kise: FINALLY! MY TIME TO SHINE-_SSU!_**

**Kuroko: I'm also here.**

**Kise: Ku-Kuroko-_cchi_? Since whe-**

**Kuroko: I'm here all along. **


	13. (0701) part 3

**Nijimura: _Ahem_! So... I'm Nijimura Shuzo. **

**Writer: He's the _rainbow _(Niji: Rainbow) that has been supporting the GoM.**

**Nijimura: Stop it! Anyway... Happy birthday, Akari!**

**Kise: AKARI-_CCHI_ LET'S GO ON A DATE!**

**Nijimura: OI KISE! *kicks***

* * *

Shuzo-senpai and the other first string members' comes up and gives their birthday congratulations to me. Giving me tons of gifts afterwards.

"_Ne_, Aka-chan, happy birthday, this is from me, I hope you like it!" Shuzo-senpai handed me a box of present.

"Thank you, Shuzo-senpai!"

The act of them giving presents goes on and on until the last of them handed me the present.

"_Minna, _thank you so much for your sayings and the presents! I love them and I love you guys as well!"

*3rd person's POV*

There was flowers surrounding Akari's body, making the Teikou players' faces went red because of the sight.

_Areeee?! Doki-doki te… doki-doki te nani?!_ That was inside most of their minds. They had never thought about having a female member in the basketball team, and a very cute one for the matter of it. The pink overlapping the red part of her hair was perfectly tied in a ponytail manner, her captivating yellow eyes were mesmerizing, and that smile of hers, irreplaceable.

They felt their legs losing the power to stand up. Akari being in the club brings a new kind of refreshment for the members, and now, she became one of the starters; she's becoming one irreplaceable member in the club, a very cute one indeed.

"Ye-yeah, we love you too, Aka-chan~"

*Akari's POV*

"Akari-_cchi_~ what are you doing after this-_ssu_?"

"Ryou-chan? I don't actually have plans, why?"

"Let's go on a date! Date! Date!" Ryouta is prancing like a golden retriever when he's skipping towards me and asking me out on a date while holding both of my hands.

"Alright, let's go, Ryou-chan!"

"_Yattaaaa~_"

"Oi Kise, you're ruining our moment here." Shuzo-senpai said while pinching Ryouta's cheeks.

"_I-ta-ta-ta-itai yo senpai! _ What moment did you have with Akari-_cchi_ anywaaaay-_ssu_? She's going on a date with me, you know~" Ryouta said it in such a playful manner, it caused Shuzo-senpai bullying him some more.

"_Mooou! _Stop this already, we're going out, Akari-_cchi_!"

"_Areee?! _Akari, you're going out with Kise?!"

"What?! How dare you, Kise… _Ore no Aka-chan_…"

Half of the basketball team was complaining against Ryouta's words, and Shuzo-senpai is nagging him about the truth in our relationship. "_Ma, ma, _Shuzo-senpai… Don't take it too seriously and Ryou-chan! We're going to cut off the time we have for the 'date'!"

"_Ah! _Yes, _ja, ittekimassssuu~_"

I bowed to the members then ran after Ryouta who's already outside. "Ryou-chan, where are we going?"

"It's a secret, Akari-_cchi_~ you'll know when we get there."

* * *

We walked from the school to the train station, got on the train and got off at the city centre. Ryouta paid little attention to the crowd eyeing him and myself, who has been talking about how pretty Ryouta is, and what was the relationship between him and me. He brushed it away and took my hand as we entered a clothing store when he asked me to change my clothes from the uniform I'm currently wearing. I entered the dressing room as I put on the clothes he gave me earlier. _Uwah, so cute!_

"_Uwaaaah~ Kawaii desu_ Akari-_cchi_!" Ryouta jumped out of his seat, already changed from his school uniform to an oversized black-striped red thin sweater and a bleached skinny jeans, along with a brown boots to top it off. He looks really cool; well… he's actually looks cool regardless of what he's wearing.

*Kise's POV*

There she is, coming out from the dressing room. The light pink mini dress with opened shoulder suits her so well! That light brown gladiator sandal was just perfect on her long legs. Akari-cchi is so dazzling right now; I have to thank myself for the great fashion sense. Horray me!

*Akari's POV*

"Ryou-chan, is there something wrong?"

"Huh, ah… Nothing's wrong, Akari-_cchi_! Now, let's go to our next destination!"

Ryouta grabs my hand and dragged me out of the store after paying for the clothes. He pulls me to the salon and I was told to sit on one of the chairs. The guy that was put in charge of me was doing my hair and make-up as he praised how I looked like.

*Kise's POV*

Uwah, Akari-cchi is in the salon with me, I'm going to have this salon make her the most beautiful woman ever. Hmm, the salon is doing their job well, but I don't like how the guy in charge of her looks at her, am I getting jealous? Ah, not good. What am I feeling?

After they're done with Akari-cchi's 'transformation', I took a good look at her, blushing. _Sugoi_… They bundled some of her hair, making a messy bun out of it with some of her hair loose, and the rest of her hair was made wavy, making her so cute that I cannot take my eyes off of her. The make-up was also great! That light pink eye shadow along with the black eyeliner, and the peach colored lip-gloss. _Kawaiiiii~_

"Do I look weird, Ryou-chan?"

"HUH?! There's no way you look weird, Akari-_cchi_! You look perfectly cute, like, you're the cutest girl ever!"

*Akari's POV*

I blushed as I hear him saying I'm cute. I never dress up like this, moreover getting a make-up on myself. I thought I was used to Ryouta saying I'm cute, but why am I getting worked up over him saying I'm cute? _Ah, I can't let this get over my head._ I said as I can feel my cheeks flushed.

"_Saa te, _Akari-_cchi_, let's go!"

"Oh, okay! Where are we going to, next?"

"You'll see."

Ryouta really likes giving people surprises, doesn't he? He took me to the game arcade, where he and I get inside the photo booth and starts taking pictures of us. We played tons of games there where I get to bully Ryouta when I beat him in a game. We laughed and laughed and soon after, we got out of the arcade and Ryouta led the way again, leaving me wondering where he would be leading me next.

*third person's POV*

One particular young blonde man and one unique pink-red haired girl were captivating the crowd's eyes. They looked like they were taken out of a magazine, walking side-by-side, and wearing fashionable clothes.

"They look so cute together, doesn't they?"

"The guy is really tall and his body is a perfect build! And the girl's really cute in that dress, she's really thin and her body is just perfect!"

"I envy that guy, he really got a big reel, being with such a cutie."

*Akari's POV*

I can slightly hear people talking about us, and I can also feel the stares of the unknown people to us. Noticing that I feel a bit uncomfortable, Ryouta took my hands and tangles it with his own, smiling to me when I looked up to him when we arrived at a photo shoot studio.

"Ryou-chan, this?"

"I'm not the only one who's becoming a model now, right? You'll also be a model right here and right now-_ssu_."

"Wha-whaaat?"

Ryouta took my hand and dragged me to the set, acquiring the photographer to take pictures of us. We took almost over 50 shots of ourselves and I leave Ryouta to lead me in the photo shoot session. I looked at him and at the same time, he looks directly to my eyes himself, making me blush.

*Kise's POV*

Akari-_cchi_ is looking straight in my eyes, blushing. What should I do? Dear _Kami, _you are so kind to me today. I took a good hold of both of her hand, smiling to her and then the camera snaps pictures of us looking like that. I told Akari-_cchi_ to drink the tea available on the end of the room when I'm taking a look at the photographs taken earlier.

She's a natural at modeling; maybe she can start a career on her own. But I don't want more people to realize her beauty, what should I do? Hmm, this one's really nice. The one where we looked into each other's eyes… Wait, what is this _doki-doki_ feeling?

*Akari's POV*

That was my first time in a photo shoot; let alone being in it with Ryouta. _Wuah, what a great night!_

"Akari-_cchi_! Sorry for making you wait, I'm done now, so, let's go-_ssu_!"

Ryouta grabbed my hand and starts skipping to the exit, dragging me towards the apartment. He stops when we arrive at the convenience store to buy some ice cream.

*Kise's POV*

I got inside of the convenience store, when I said to the counter to give me the things I left to her care earlier in the afternoon. I bought an ice cream and paid it at the cashier. I checked on my phone to see one new message, replied to it, and head back outside.

"Akari-_cchi, _happy birthday…" I said happy birthday to her while holding a bouquet of multi-colored roses. Her eyes widen and I think she's close to crying. I gave her a framed photograph of the two of us earlier, the one when our eyes were locked on each other's. She looks so happy right now I couldn't help but smile.

*Akari's POV*

"Ryou-chan, I love you soooo much, thank you!" I said while hugging his neck.

"_Hai hai, domo-ssu_."

He just looks so manly right now, unlike his usual golden retriever-ish approach. He led me back to the apartment while still holding me close to him.

* * *

We opened the apartment door to find the entire apartment to be dark.

"_Are?_ No one's home yet?"

Suddenly, the room lit up and a big cake was shown on the table. The room was decorated with party ornaments, with rainbow colors on it. My eyes lit up at the sight of it and my hands moved to close my mouth at the same time.

**"Happy birthday Akari!"**

I can hear people saying happy birthday to me. I moved closer to the cake, revealing the 'culprits' behind this surprise. One by one, their silhouettes comes to light, Luke-chan, Tetsu, Atsushi, Shintarou, Daiki, and Akashi. Luke-chan comes to me and hugged me, giving his birthday present that is a beige frilly dress, a black over-knee socks, and a brown boots. He asked me to change to that dress, which I complied to, and got back to the living room.

*3rd person's POV*

The eyes of the seven people in the living room lit up to the sight of what's approaching them. Akari didn't change the hairstyle that was done by the salon she and Ryouta went to, yet the atmosphere around her seems different with the clothing she had on. Rather than being _just cute_, she emits an aura of a young adult.

"Akari…" "Akari-_cchi!_" "Akari-san…" "Akari-_chin_~" "Aka-chan!"

"_Sugoi_…"

The six from Teikou stated their amusement in seeing Akari dressed up, while Luke is already on his way, lunging towards Akari with a huge grin, "See, see? I have a great sense of how Aka-chan would fit in to!"

"_Arigato ne, _Luke-chan!"

Akari stated her happiness that was brought to her by Luke's present. They enjoyed the night with a couple of games, and cutting the raspberry-lemon cake to share with each other. Tetsu, who is sitting across from Akari, is secretly gazing on her. Once in a while, he sneaks a peek at the content in his pocket, a small light blue package for her.

*Akari's POV*

"Akari-san, can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Tetsu? Okay, what's wrong?"

I followed Tetsu to the second floor, watching him as he opened the door to my bedroom and followed him inside. I looked at Tetsu and his sky blue blank eyes, wondering what he's thinking about when he's staring at me like that.

"Tetsu?"

*Kuroko's POV*

What should I do? I managed to get her to follow me to her room like this, but what should I do next? I have never met someone like her before. _They_ seemed like they didn't notice me, but _she _did. _They_ didn't know where to look for me, but _she_ does. They can't creep into my head and know what I am thinking about, but _she_ does. I don't know how she does it, but I am glad to have met her.

I want to cherish her, make her know that she have a big impact on me. She's precious to me.

"Akari-san…"

I grabbed her hand and saw her yellow orbs glowing towards me, waiting for the words I am going to say afterwards. I took a peek towards my pocket, seeing that the thing that I need is still there; I let out a sigh.

" …I thank you, Akari-san." I face Akari and say the words I need to say, "You're different, and you notice me when the others don't. You're always there…"

"Tetsu…?"

I grab her hand firmer, staring straight into her eyes, and leaned my face closer to hers. I can feel my heartbeats faster, _calm down heart; I'm trying to do something here!_ Her face reddens, and I can feel her breath on me. I finished what I wanted to do and left a peck on her cheek, making her eyes jolt and blush furiously.

*Akari's POV*

_Wha-what? What was that? Did Tetsu jus- Did he!? Huh?_

"…Happy birthday Akari-san…"

He grabbed my shoulder and pointed to the mirror. I can see a sky blue hairpin hanging by the side of my hair, keeping half of my bangs away from my eyes. Wuah, _kawaii_… He smiled towards my amazement and said happy birthday to me once again, making this year's birthday the best one yet. I'm really blessed to have such kind friends, family, maybe more…

-chapter 11 end-

* * *

**Kuroko: I did it...**

**Writer: What did you do, Kuroko-kun?**

**Kuroko: I stand out...**

**GoM: THAT'S NOT ALLOWED!**


	14. Summer Training Camp!

**Kise: _Ne, ne, _Writer-_cchi_! What are we doing for the summer-_ssu_?**

**Writer: Well... You should ask Akashi-kun!**

**Akashi: We'll be going on a trip...**

**Aomine: Really!? Let's go to the beach!**

**Akashi: Hmmm... The beach, huh?**

* * *

"_Hai_, then it is decided that we will go to the beach for the summer training camp. Please prepare yourself." Akashi delivers the information given by the coach after the training for the day is finished.

"_Uwah, umi!" _I voiced my excitement towards the fact that we are going to the ocean.

"_Ano, _Akari, it's actually… unwise to think that you'll be able to have as much fun as you're thinking right now."

One of the third year senpai shivered a little when he told me the information he has about the summer camp. "_Ne, _Nijimura, you tell her…"

"_Huh?_ Oh yeah right… The training in summer camp would be close to deadly. Well… Last year some of the guys weren't able to stand up at night."

"_Ah so? _Hmm… Sei, is it safe for me to bring swimming suit?"

I asked Akashi what his thoughts for me to bring my swimming suit. Some of the members in the basketball team are still mesmerized on how I was able to call Akashi with just 'Sei'. "Akari _ka_? I don't think it's against the rules, it's permitted."

"_Yatta~_ _Ne, ne, _let's have lots of fun!"

* * *

*Akashi's POV*

Is the training session too hard for everyone? I don't think that last year was easier than this, but why is everyone already so tired? Where did I go wrong in making the training regime? "Sei!"

I look towards the voice that calls me, wiping the sweat off of my face with the back of my hand. There's only one person who calls me that, Akari. "Akari, is there anything wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong! The training menu is awesome! Did you make it yourself? Here's for you Sei!"

Akari gave me a bottle of Pocari and a towel, her smile never left her peach colored lips. It seems that she is one of the few first-string members that are able to get through this 'hellish' training. "Are you not tired, Akari?"

"Huh? No, not at all, Sei, I find it very refreshing! I can't wait to play on the beach later on too!"

I guess you can say that her positivism is infectious, making me smile too.

*3rd person's POV*

The hellish training made by Akashi was killing the team, but no one could complain. The training regime was so well made, and well thought out that it would definitely boosts the team's overall ability. The training continues with a beach basketball match. Kuroko unconsciously used bounce pass, and was yelled at by Aomine, "Oi Tetsu! You cannot use bounce pass on the sand!" leaving Kuroko scratching his cheeks and wiping the sweat on his face.

*Akari's POV*

The practice on the beach affects the whole team; they learned to focus on putting their weight on the correct area of the foot, causing them to get a better grip when they run. _Are, my fingers feels different from before_, I thought to myself.

When humans hit the ground, the first thing that touches the ground is the toe. The big toe has become more meticulous than before, in terms of power. So the real goal behind the practice in that sandy beach was to improve our muscle strength. If we keep going back and forth from the beach to the gym everyday, then… everyone's movements will definitely improve!

* * *

"_Ne, ne, _let's go to the beach!" I said to the guys sleeping on the ground.

"Akari-_cchi_, why do you have so much strength left in you-_ssu_? Aren't you tired?"

"Of course I'm tired, Ryou-chan, but it's not everyday that we're able to go to the beach together, right?"

"_Yosssha!_ Akari, that's the spirit, let's go to the beach!"

After more convincing from both Daiki and my part, almost the whole team agreed to go to the beach together.

*Aomine's POV*

The beach is cool; I mean, look at all the boobs hanging around there. Summer is definitely the best season ever! Is that a red bean soup Midorima's drinking? He can get really ridiculous sometimes. "Oi Midorima, can you really drink that stuff in the summer!?"

"It's chilled-_nanodayo_."

"That's not what I mea- WUOH!"

I turned my head when I see Akari take off her basketball clothes, revealing the stripes bikini she's wearing underneath it. _She's so damn sexy!_ _Maybe even more than Satsuki, the team manager who's also my childhood friend…_

*3rd person's POV*

The basketball team awed at the sight of Akari's body.

"Aka-chan! Do-don't reveal your body like that!" Nijimura stuttered to Akari.

"Eh? Why? We're at the beach, right?"

Nijimura sighed towards Akari's response to him, and then, not being able to take another reply to Akari, Nijimura face palmed himself, hiding the blush he's been having since a while ago.

"Neeeee, Akari-_chin_…" Murasakibara wrapped himself on Akari after hearing a few guys on the beach whistling on seeing her body.

"Acchan, what's wrong?"

Murasakibara turned his gaze to the guys from earlier, giving off a deadly glare towards them, causing the guys to freeze and left their area of the beach. He gains his sleepy eyes again, "Let's play in the water!"

Akari nodded to Murasakibara and heads to the ocean after picking up a red and white float near Nijimura, asking Kise and Daiki to join them. They played in the water for a while, Aomine pushed Akari's float deeper to the ocean, while Kise keeps on splashing water towards Aomine, causing his rage to pile up and they ended up doing a water gun contest. Murasakibara stayed by Akari's side, a bit afraid that the tide would push her further to the ocean.

They returned to the beach when Akashi called them in, and then Akari was given a 3-on-3-basketball tournament flyer by a passerby, asking whether they are interested in joining the match. Akari was giving off vibes that she really wanted to join the tournament, which led Akashi to sigh, deciding that they would enter the basketball match together.

* * *

*Akashi's POV*

I really can't understand why I can't refuse Akari when she's making that kind of face. I just don't want her to feel sad, down, and depressed. I decided that I'd enter the competition with her. I asked Ryouta, Daiki, Shintarou, and Atsushi to watch the competition rather than joining the team, and then I asked Tetsuya to do the tournament with us. I told Akari to put on her t-shirt before going to the tournament, covering the upper half of her body from the eyes of the audience **and** the players.

"_Ne, ne, _Sei… Are you sure the rest of the guys is okay with this kind of match-up? They looked like they wanted to play in the tournament."

"Ah, don't mind them, Akari. We got Tetsuya with us, don't we, and I know they're satisfied with seeing us play, right?"

I give off a slight killing stare at the Teikou starters, making them to answer 'yes' to my 'question'. I smiled towards my teammates when I hear the announcer called, "Team Aka please head to the court."

"_Saa te, _let us march to the court…"

*Akari's POV*

Our first match is against a couple of local guys; they have pretty good teamwork, the match started with our team holding the ball, Akashi's playing PG, so I can concentrate on attacking the opponent. Tetsu is being left out from the sight of the defender, leaving him open to pass.

Akashi passed the ball to me, and gave his approval of attacking normally, which I did and gave us our first points. In the next turn, Tetsu stole the ball from our opponent and Akashi made the shot, giving us another point. The first game was pretty much a breeze, collecting points for us when the other team didn't get a chance to get points for themselves.

We soon reach the final, and our opponent turned out to be a couple of male college students. Just before the game, I can feel the guys' eyes on me, and saying, "You're such a cutie, what are you doing in a court like this, why don't you just go and play with us?"

*3rd person's POV*

"What are those guys saying to Akari? I want to punch the hell out of them!"

Aomine voiced his dislike to the opposing team. Clenching his fist, he started to climb the border between the court and the audience when Kise stopped him, "Aomine-_cchi_ stop it! You'll get them disqualified-_ssu_!"

"Hmph, I think that's the first time you said the correct words Kise."

"_Hidoi-ssu_ Midorima-_cchi_!"

"Akashi can manage this-_nanodayo_." Midorima is restraining himself but gripping his lucky item of the day- a plushy teddy bear- hard.

"If they keep on eyeing Akari-_chin_ like that, it makes me wanna crush them~"

What the college guys are saying in the court is agitating the guys that are watching the match. But soon, Akashi spoke up; "You can stop saying that to my teammate now…"

"Huh!? What is this _chibi_ saying? You should just crawl back to your _okaa-san_ and cry to her."

_Ah, this is bad. They might anger Akashi._ The watchers are settling down when they hear Akashi said those words, but there were shivers running down their spines when they think about what Akashi might be doing on the court.

"In this world, winning is everything; winners are validated and losers are denied. Until now, I've never lost at anything, and I won't be in the future. Since I always win, I'm always right."

_Uh-oh_. _There go Akashi with his words. This is bad-_

*Akari's POV*

"_Ma, ma, _Sei… Let's just win, shall we?"

Akashi turned to me and closed his eyes before nodding to me.

"_Yarooo,_ I'll teach you what it means to respect your elders! You'll lose this one!"

I can see Akashi's face getting darker and his eyes are emitting a mad killing intent towards our opponents. He allowed me to get as many points as I want when we're playing this match, including three-pointers, and then, the game started.

We didn't exchange many words afterwards, Tetsu and I am as agitated as Akashi is right now and we head-on straight to the attacking mode. After a few pass and attack patterns, Akashi manages to put my three-points skills to the most use. I mercilessly throw my three-points on the opponent, making them lose 30 points from the first 5 minutes.

*Kuroko's POV*

Akari-san's shoots have become more and more accurate as I pass to her. She's unstoppable right now, along with Akashi-kun's absolute pass course and I, who manage to utilize her shoots to her best.

"Akari-san!"

I said as I passed to her. She's preparing for one more three-point when one of the opposing team members went close to her, wanting to slap her wrist, stopping her from shooting. I ran my legs off to prevent the slap, but my legs betray me. I sighed my relief when I see Akashi-kun were already there by her side, giving her a split-second opportunity to make the shot.

The match ends with our team obtaining 70-points lead from the college guys. I can see clearly that the opposing team doesn't accept our win, and left with their sour faces. We received a small trophy for our win, Akari-san's face lit up when receiving the trophy, and Akashi-kun made a small upwards curve on his lips towards her.

* * *

*3rd person's POV*

"_Tch_! Those brats just don't know when to stand down! We'll make them pay for it!"

"Yeah, we should make them pay!"

Three guys are discussing how to 'pay back' to Aka team that just beat the pulp out of them earlier. When they are ready to go with their plan, they moved out to grab Akari from her team. They managed to find Akari when they stroll on the beach, alone. They smirked, the time was right for them to act hostile to her.

-chapter 12 end-

* * *

**Murasakibara: _Ne, _who are those guys approaching Akari-_chin_?**

**Aomine: Weren't they the one Aka team bashed during the three-on-three tournament?**

**Kise: HUH!? What are they planning to do to her-ssu!?  
**

**Writer: Well... You should just read the next chapter... *gulp***

**Akashi: If you try anything to hurt Akari, you'll pay, Writer.**

**Writer: *gulp* _Hai..._**


	15. Nightmare

"_Oi_, onee-chan, do you want to come and play with us?"

"Yeah onee-chan, it'll be fun!"

Three guys are approaching Akari, trying to grab her hand when she was sitting on the beach, away from the other guys as they are playing beach volleyball.

"What do you want?" Akari, who is currently wearing only her striped bikini with a light short-sleeved yellow hoodie on her body, is trying to move away from the two guys approaching her.

"We just wanted you to come play with us for a while! You'll come with us, right?" He grabbed Akari's hand, attempting to drag her from the place she's currently sitting.

"Aka-_chin_… Look at that…" Murasakibara points at the situation Akari is currently in.

"Daiki, Ryouta."

Akashi gave a command to Aomine and Kise, which were complied to and given a nod by them.

"_Oi, _what do you think you're doing?"

Aomine appeared behind Akari, eyeing the three college guys with killing intent.

"Who are you anyway!? Don't mess around with us and go away from my sight!"

One of the college guys threatened Aomine, and turns to Kise when he said, "You don't want to mess with us, honorable senpais." Kise mocked them.

One of the guys lunged towards Aomine and Kise, when he's interrupted by the appearance of a huge wall between him and Kise. It was Murasakibara. "_Are_, you're so small~ Don't mess with _our _Akari-_chin_."

"Hiiii!"

The guys were freaked out with Murasakibara's appearance and ran for their lives. Leaving Akari alone, just what the team wants. It was then, Akashi appeared and holds Akari's hand.

"Are you okay, Akari?"

"I am, Sei… Thank you all…"

* * *

"I'm glad you're okay, Akari-chin~" Murasakibara turned to Akari and hugged her, trying to comfort her. They resumed the fun they neglected before and turned the hellish training camp to a wonderful start of their summer vacation.

*Midorima's POV*

"Hmmm..."

Kise's getting on my nerve, he keeps on sighing and staring into empty spaces whenever he got the chance to. It's raining hard outside and we cannot go anywhere, I'm stuck in this room with these six people. I sighed and wanted to speak up my complain to Kise when, "Oi Kise! What are you doing?" Aomine voiced my irritation towards his behavior.

"I want to meet Akari-cchi~ Why do we have to sleep in different rooms-ssu? Aren't we teammates-ssu? "

Kise... I'm sure now that you really are an idiot. How can you ask Akari to sleep in the same room as you?! _That's barbaric! That's just barba-_

"That's a good idea, Kise!"

_What?_ I thought Aomine was more civilized than Kise. "_Deshoooo~_? Let's go get her-_ssu_!"

"Oi, wait_-nanodayo_!"

"What is it Midorima-_cchi_? Do you want to come with us?"

"Of course not! You're being barbaric-_nanodayo_! Do you actually think that she'll sleep in the same room as you animal?"

"We can ask her..." He pouted.

"Aomine, you're no better than Kise, just like I thought-_nanodayo_."

Before I could stop them, they are already running full speed towards the door, making their way to Akari's room. Then, the door opened, revealing Akashi that is going to enter the room. "Daiki, Ryouta, where are you going?"

"_Geh-_ We're going to Akari-cchi's room, Akashi-_cchi_... We wanted to ask her to... Nevermind..."

Both of them put the thought of sleeping in the same room with Akari behind them. They're idiots-nanodayo.

*Akari's POV*

I'm all-alone in this room with nothing to do. What should I do? This room is so big for me alone, and I think something might creep the hell out of me later tonight. I tried pushing the thought away from myself, making my way to my futon and closed my eyes. The rain is pouring harder and harder, and I can hear thunder among the sound of the rain. Kamisama... please let the rain pass quickly!

*loud thunder sound*

_Gyaa! _I better get to sleep as fast as I can!

* * *

I woke up suddenly approximately 30 minutes after I fell asleep because of a dream. It was an unpleasant dream and I'm too afraid to sleep along with the thunder sound and that the dream would haunt me again. I decided to go outside and find my way to the boys' room.

I arrive at their door, thinking twice about knocking on it. What if they're already asleep? What if the room's already packed? I can feel tears making their way to my eyes, trying to force their way out of their cage. My head fell downwards as my hand try to wipe the tears out of my face.

"Are, Akari-_cchi_? What's wrong-ssu? Why are you crying?"

I look up to see Ryouta opening the door to their room. I ran up to him and hugged him and caught him by surprise.

*Kise's POV*

"_Ehh?! Nani, nani?_ Did somebody hurt you, Akari-_cchi_?!"

Silence. That was what Akari gave me. The other guys were staring at Akari, and then Akashi asked me to bring her in. I carried her princess-style because she wouldn't let go of my neck. "Did something happened to you, Akari?" Akashi asked her.

"Can… Can I sleep here… tonight?" She asked with a low voice without lifting her head to see us.

I looked to the others as they give their nods. "Yes, Akari-_cchi_, you can sleep here tonight!"

With that, Aomine and Midorima walked outside to her room to grab her futon and all her other belongings. They returned a while afterwards and lay out her futon next to Akashi's. I laid her down on her futon and Akashi came next to her and patted her head. "Akari…"

*Akari's POV*

Ryouta put me down on my futon and I let go of his neck when Sei come up to me and patted my head. "Sei… I'll be okay, it's just that I hate the thunderstorm and the things happened today, and the fact that I was all alone in such a huge room… and I had a dream…"

"A dream?" Daiki joins in the conversation, sitting down by my side as I straighten up my sitting position.

"Yes, Daiki. It was an unpleasant dream I was having."

Atsushi went up to me and hugged me from behind as he shoves a Maiubo to my mouth. "Hmpf-"

"Eat this, Akari-_chin_…"

He was never a man with many words but it is nice of him to do these small things to me to get his feelings across. "Thanks, Acchan…"

I'm really blessed to have found this colorful bunch to take care of me.

* * *

*No one's POV*

The hellish summer camp continues for a few more days. They are having a campfire during their last day and a fireworks viewing. A good time for them indeed, but it is time for them to go back home to their perspectives realities.

-chapter 13 end-

* * *

**Writer: I'm sorry for the short chapter... *cries***

**Kise: Maa, Maa... Writer-_cchi_, anyone could get a writer block-_ssu~_**

**Aomine: Yeah right, and yet _SHE_ kept this story on hold for TOO LONG!**

**Writer: Waaaah... *cries harder***

**Akashi: *glares at Aomine* Daiki, mind your manners.**

**Akari: Oi, don't fight! She'll update soon, right? *looks at writer***

**Writer: *nods* Aka-chan you're the best! *hugs Akari***

**Midorima: Write a review. Not that I care-_nanodayo_.**

**Murasakibara: _Harahettaaaaa~_ **


End file.
